February 20, 2013

POS 282 INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN LAW
In class today, Wednesday 2/20, I distributed one handout, my version of the Smith case brief. We first did an exercise applying the Maine statute regarding use of force in defense of premises to the current case of the South African runner Oscar Pistorius. We then went back to the Smith case, going through the brief of that case. We began the Suggs case, getting to the Cause of Action in that case. We will continue with Suggs on Friday. The assignment for Friday 2/22 is to read through p. 56 of the text, Gregg v. Georgia.

POS 384 CIVIL LIBERTIES
In class today, Wednesday 2/20, I distributed one handout, the Maine statute regarding persons in Maine who are not allowed to possess firearms. I went over the history of the Maine constitutional provision regarding the right to keep and bear arms. We went over the case of State v. Friel, the 1987 constitutional amendment, and then State v. Brown. We then began our discussion of D.C. v. Heller, getting through that part of the decision that decided that the right protected was an individual right, not a militia-related collective defense right. We will pick up on Friday with the nature of that individual right, and the limitations on the right. The assignment for Friday 2/22 is to review Heller, previously assigned.