PS474 - The Judiciary
Political Science & Public Administration
Patri Cabe, J.D., B.A. - E-mail | Vitae
Hello, my name is Patri Cabe. Welcome to PS474, the Judiciary. I have taught several Political
Science classes. I know that you will learn a lot in this class. I hope that you will enjoy the
class. I understand that many of you work and have families. I still expect you to complete the
reading assignments. If you do not procrastinate, the writing assignments will not be
overwhelming. Instead of being assigned one long research paper due at the end of the course,
you will be expected to write an essay with each chapter. These essays should be four pages long.
Essays will have an introductory paragraph, with a thesis. The body of the paper will provide
support for the thesis. A conclusion will tie all the points together. As with all papers, you
will be required to use references and footnotes.
Course Description:
This course will cover the Supreme Court and its significance in the policy making of national
policy. Attention is paid to the analysis of decisions made by the Court, although this entails
considerable attention to the institutional processes, which result in such decisions. Areas of
concern such as the judicial process, economic policy, equality, criminal justice, presidential
power, personal rights, and the frontiers of judicial policy making will be addressed. Additional
readings in judicial policy areas may be assigned and a research paper will be required.
Understanding the US Supreme Court: Cases and Controversies. Kevin T McGuire; McGraw Hill
Higher Education ISBN #: 0072337311
Appointments:
I am available to answer any questions you may have about the course, through e-mail. I will
respond to your questions as quickly as possible. My aol screen name is PatriCabe. I will hold
“virtual office hours” from 5:00pm to 6:00pmEST on Mondays and Wednesdays. If you have any
questions or problems, feel free to contact me in that manner.
Requirements:
This course will involve the reading of the chapter assignments and completing the writing
assignments. There will be a multiple- choice and true/false final exam. There will be seven
four-page papers due. The papers will be based questions posed in the lectures.
Grading and Evaluations:
I use a ten point grading scale. With 90 to 100 being an A. 59 and below is a failing grade.
