The Schedules Are Up

So ... as far as I can tell without looking back at what I originally balloted for, the only class that I didn't get (that I wanted) was the Alternate Dispute Resolution limited enrollment course. Luckily, I can try again for it next year, and as a 3L I should have some kind of priority over the lowly 2Ls ... ahahahaha.

I'm so impressed and excited, and realized that I even set myself up to have the recommended courses to take Psychiatry and the Law next year.

Also - my exam schedule rocks. This is what I was the most worried about, but I have nice spaces between each test! WOO HOO!


Lisa's fall line-up is as follows:

Wills
Calendar Long Description: "This course examines the law surrounding the execution, construction and revocation of wills, as well as issues of probate, survivorship, intestate succession, dependents' relief, and family issues as they relate to wills and estates."

Debtor-Creditor
Calendar Long Description: "The issuance of a judgment does not, in itself, enable a successful claimant to reach the financial resources or property of the judgment debtor for purposes of satisfaction of the successful plaintiff’s claim. The enforcement of a judgment for the payment of money entails resort to the specialized system of law that constitutes the subject of this course. The various methods of judgment enforcement are examined."

Evidence
Calendar Long Description: "Examination of the foundations of the law of evidence in civil and criminal trials in Canada. The principles, rules, statutes and procedures are examined from a critical perspective with emphasis on the history, rationale and reform of rules and statutes affecting the admissibility of evidence. The topics examined are admissibility, relevance, character evidence, opinion evidence, hearsay evidence, competence, privilege and confessions."

Business Organizations
Calendar Long Description: "Examination of the basic features of business corporations. The following topics, among others, are considered: corporate personality, the process of incorporation, the powers and duties of directors and officers, shareholder rights and remedies."

Health Law
Calendar Long Description: "This course introduces students to the basic principles of medical law and their application to common issues in health care. It also explores the legal framework for the health professions and the health care system."



Lisa's winter line-up (starting in January) is as follows:

Taxation
Calendar Long Description: "Deals with federal income taxation which focuses on basic tax principles and underlying theoretical concepts. The taxation unit concentrated upon is the individual. Topics normally covered in the course include procedure, statutory interpretation, the tax base, measurement of income, deductions, exemptions, and capital gains."

Trusts
Calendar Long Description: "This course covers the creation, administration, variation and termination of express trusts, including charitable trusts. Breach of trust, trustee defences and beneficiary remedies are examined. Resulting trusts and constructive trusts are also addressed."

Gender and the Law
Calendar Long Description: "This course examines the social construction of gender and critical and feminist perspectives on law."

Oil & Gas Law
Calendar Long Description: "This course introduces students to oil and gas law. Topics addressed will include: the nature of interests in oil and gas; rights of mineral interest holders inter se and the operation of the rule of capture; acquisition of freehold interests in oil and gas; the freehold oil and gas lease; estoppel, waiver and involuntary termination; disposition of minerals by the Crown; oil and gas conservation (pooling unitization and shut-in wells); and, surface rights."

Professional Responsibility
Calendar Long Description: ": This course introduces students to i) the roles, responsibilities and authority of the legal profession and ii) the legal and ethical duties of lawyers in the practice of law. The regulation of various aspects of the profession – admission, regulation of the practice of law, lawyer discipline, etc. are critically examined. As well students will learn the elements of a lawyer’s duties to client, the court and others, including himself or herself. This involves an understanding of the lawyer’s role in the adversary system, the nature of lawyer-client confidentiality, integrity and conflicts of interest in various roles performed by lawyers."

We Need to Understand More

... about why people do the things they do.

The Beltline Rapist from here in Calgary is undergoing his dangerous offender hearing right now. I don't want to comment AT ALL on this guy, but it makes me realize how very important psychological research is, not only for prevention, but for rehabilitation and appropriate treatment and sentencing within the criminal justice system.

This reminds me of a news story from back in May of this year.

The University of Lethbridge (which is a leader in criminal etc. psychology) announced a study they were doing (with U of Toronto) which paid ex-convicted pedophiles to participate in a research project that would monitor their reaction to sexual images. They received huge public outcry at the fact that they'd be PAYING these ex-cons to participate in a study.

Paying people to participate in studies is normal practice. I've been paid to participate in a study before. I got $20 for about 10 minutes of my time (and I got to play computer games with another user ... it was a study on transparent GUIs and multi-user processing on one machine). These ex-cons were getting paid $60 for 2 - 3 hours of their time. So ... pretty standard.

Even though some subjects may make us uncomfortable, they're still worthy and necessary research topics. As long as research is conducted in an ethical and customary way, I say bring it on. It's not like you're rewarding these people for being pedophiles, I'm sure the stigma they carry with them everyday is in no way eased by getting $60 for participating in a study that focuses on their illness (is that even the right word? Illness? I'm no psychologist ... Wikipedia says that pedophilia is considered a mental disorder ... hmmmm).

Maybe when I'm rich and famous one day, I'll kick in money for criminal-psychological research.

There's a law class at the U of S called "Law and Psychiatry", which I did not ballot for. Now that I think about it, maybe I'll try for it for next year ... I bet it would be really interesting. Here's the course description from the academic calendar:

Introduction to psychiatric theory; the methodology of psychiatric diagnosis and modern psychiatric treatment; the role of psychiatrists in the legal process. Psychiatry and the criminal process: remand for mental examination, fitness to stand trial, sentencing, automatism, insanity and dangerous offenders. The concept of competency: contractual and testamentary capacity. Civil commitment of the mentally ill: a comparative study. The psychiatrist as expert witness. Selected problems.

AND ... one week and one day ... it's an important day for two reasons. 1. It's my Sister's birthday. 2. I find out which classes I successfully balloted for, so I'll get my class schedule. EXCITING!