JAILHOUSE LAWYERING L-707
University at Buffalo School of Law
Fall Semester 1999
Professor Miller 
COURSE SYLLABUS
** Please note that Word97 is required for the submission of all assignments in this class. It is available in the Law School Computer Lab (403 O'Brian Hall) if you do not have it at home.

Class#1 Reading Assignment

Class 1. Introduction to Jailhouse Lawyering
 Wed., Sept 8th 
 History and Evolution of Prisoner Litigation 
 Course Overview and Administrative Matters
Class 2. Obstacles to Prisoners’ Access to Courts
Wed., Sept. 15th 
Guest speakers: 
Holly Hecker, 
Sr. Pro Se Judicial Law Clerk for the W.D.N.Y. 
Rogers Hicks, 
Former Jailhouse Lawyer
 
Teaching Legal Research and Writing 
Johanna Oreskovic 
Legal Research and Writing Instructor
Navigating the JHL Website & On-line Editing 
UB Law Library, Room 630A 
Steve Sturman, 
Walkway Node Instructional Designer 
Class 3. Presentations of Chapters I, II & III
Wed., Sept. 22nd 
Mandatory Orientation at Attica C.F.
Class 4. Lesson I at Attica
Wed., Sept. 29th
Class 5. Lesson II at Attica
Wed., Oct. 6th
Class 6. Presentations of Chapters IV & V
Wed., Oct. 13th
Class 7. Lesson III at Attica
Wed., Oct. 20th 
Class 8. Lesson IV at Attica
Wed., Oct. 27th 
Class 9. Presentation of  Chapters VI, VII & VIII
Wed., Nov. 3rd
Class 10. Lesson V at Attica
Wed., Nov. 10th
Class 11. Lesson VI at Attica
Wed., Nov. 17th
Class 12. Lesson VII at Attica
Wed., Dec. 1st
Class 13. Lesson VIII at Attica
Wed., Dec. 8th
READING & HOMEWORK Assignments
 
TOPIC/READINGS
1. Introduction to Jailhouse Lawyering
Sept. 8th 
Feeley & Rubin, Judicial Policy Making and the Modern State: How the Courts Reformed America’s Prisons (1998), pp.30-50 
Smith, C.E., “Federal judges’ role in prisoner litigation: What’s necessary?  What’s proper?”, Judicature, v.70, no.3 (Oct.-Nov. 1986), p.144(7) 

Homework Assignment: 

  • Review very carefully the contents of your Chapter Materials. 
  • Rough outlines of Chapters I, II, III and IV due to Mrs. Stutzman in 718 O'Brian on Mon., Sept. 13th at noon
  • Come to class prepared with questions for the guest speakers next week
2. Obstacles to Prisoners’ Access to Courts
Sept. 15th 
Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995 
Wharton, J., “Courts Now Out of Job as Jailers”, ABA Journal, v.82 (August 1996) 
Newman, Hon. J.O., “Pro Se Prisoners Litigation: Looking for Needles in Haystacks”, 62 Brooklyn Law Review 519 (1996) 

Supplemental Readings: 
Bounds v. Smith, 430 U.S. 817 (1977) 
Lewis v. Casey, 518 U.S. 343 (1996) 
Walters v. Edgar, 973 F.Supp 793 (N.D.Ill. 1997) 

Homework Assignment: 

  • 1st Drafts of Chapters I, II & III must be posted to the website no later than Mon., Sept. 20th at noon
  • Written comments on Chapters I, II & III by student editors must be PTW no later than Wed., Sept. 22nd at noon
  • Rough outline of Chapter V due to Mrs. Stutzman in 718 O'Brian on Mon., Sept. 20th at noon
3. Discussion & Critique of Chapters I, II & III
Sept. 22 
Mandatory Orientation at Attica this week (date & time TBA)
 
4. Lesson I at Attica
Sept. 29 
Homework Assignment: 
  • Final Draft of Chapter I must be posted to the website no later than Wed., Oct. 6th at noon
5. Lesson II at Attica
Oct. 6th 
Homework Assignment: 
  • Final Draft of Chapter II must be posted to the website no later than Wed., Oct. 13th at noon
  • Rough outline of Chapters VI & VII due to Mrs. Stutzman in 718 O'Brian on Mon., Oct. 12th at noon
  • 1st Draft of Chapters IV & V must be PTW no later than Mon., Oct. 11th at noon
  • Comments by student editors on Chapters IV & V must be PTW no later than Wed., Oct. 13th at noon
6. Discussion & Critique of Chapters IV& V  
Oct. 13th
7. Lesson III at Attica 
Oct. 20th
Homework Assignment: 
  • Final Draft of Chapter III must be posted to the website no later than Wed., Oct. 27th at noon
8. Lesson IV at Attica 
Oct. 27th
Homework Assignment: 
  • Final Draft of Chapter IV must be posted to the website no later than Wed., Nov. 17th at noon
  • 1st Draft of Chapters VI, VII & VIII must be PTW no later than Mon., Nov. 1st at noon
  • Comments by student editors on Chapters VI, VII & VIII must be PTW no later than Wed., Nov. 3rd at noon
9. Discussion & Critique of Chapters VI& VII  & VIII 
Nov 3rd
10. Lesson V at Attica 
Nov. 10th
Homework Assignment: 
  • Final Draft of Chapter V must be posted to the website no later than Mon., Nov. 22nd at noon
11. Lesson VI at Attica 
Nov. 17th
Homework Assignment: 
  • Final Draft of Chapter VI must be posted to the website no later than Wed., Dec. 1st at noon
12. Lesson VII at Attica 
Dec. 1st
Homework Assignment: 
  • Final Draft of Chapter VII must be posted to the website no later than Wed., Dec. 10th at noon
13.  Lesson VIII at Attica 
Dec. 8th 
Homework Assignment: 
  • Final Draft of Chapter VIII must be posted to the website no later than Wed., Dec. 17th at noon