In an industrial society characterized by a "free" enterprise system and notions of individual freedom, "contract" is one of the primary means by which private individuals order their affairs. The contracts course inquires into why promises are enforced as contracts, which promises are enforced, and how they are enforced. The course places emphasis on close and critical analyses of court decisions.

This course considers the general principles of substantive criminal law and evaluates them in terms of the various purposes that justify a system of criminal punishment. It will include an analysis of the doctrines of mens rea attempt, complicity, and conspiracy as well as certain crimes such as homicide and certain defenses such as self-defense.

ELA I is the foundational legal analysis and communication course. In the context of a problem solving approach to legal writing students learn how to do the information gathering, pre-thinking and argument development that are essential to good legal communication.

Torts is an introduction to the system governing civil liability for wrongs. Course coverage focuses on the tort of negligence. As time permits, other torts are analyzed.

This course introduces students to all aspects of security interests in personal property collateral, including creation, perfection, priorities (between competing security interests and between security interests and other property interest), and enforcement of security interests (including repossession/sale of collateral and distribution of sale proceeds). 

The course examines the property rights of married couples, focusing nespecially on New Mexico community property law, with a comparison to the marital property law of other states. It covers community property ownership and management rights during marriage, at death, and at divorce, and an examination of choice of law issues. 

This course involves an in-depth inquiry into the building blocks of civil rights law; freedom of expression (speech and press), equal protection, due process, and religious freedom. There will be discussion of litigation strategy and the decision-making processes of the U.S. Supreme Court.

This course will cover the pretrial stages of a criminal case and the Constitution's impact on criminal procedure. Classes will focus upon criminal/constitutional issues with emphasis on the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments. Subjects covered will include searches and seizures, statements/confessions, due process, and line-ups.

The goals of the course are for the student to acquire: (1) a broad perspective as to the application and impact of the federal income tax in a variety of transactions; (2) practice in using the legal materials of taxation, especially the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations; and (3) an understanding of the policies underlying various IRC provisions, i.e., how the tax system is used to influence behavior and thus promote various social and economic policies.

This course examines how the courts, legislative bodies and administrative agencies have adapted basic principles of property, contract and tort law to address the unique issues related to the development and production of oil and gas resources. The course will explore the nature of the interests created out of the oil and gas mineral estate and how these interests are protected.

This course examines the legal rules governing the allocation, use, and management of water resources. The focus is primarily on the western U.S. The course also briefly addresses the law of interstate waters; water rights for federal and tribal lands in the West; water supply institutions, including New Mexico's acequias; and the application of the Endangered Species Act to water resources.

This training seminar provides people with the opportunity to learn how to negotiate effectively and understand the theory and practice of mediation as a method of alternative dispute resolution. We will use simulations, small group exercises, and concept presentations based on realistic problems to provide an intensive, practice-oriented experience. Offered on a CR/NC basis only.

This course explores the role of the federal courts, the nature of federal judicial power, its clashes with Congress, and its relationship with state and tribal systems. The course includes coverage of federal civil rights law and immunities, federal court abstention doctrines, the deference given to tribal courts, and the writ of habeas corpus.

Wills and Trusts explores the ways by which an individual’s property passes at death; how individuals may affect that passage by creating a will or will substitute like a trust during lifetime; what the law requires for a will or will substitute to be enforceable; the extent to which the law may limit the disinheritance of a surviving spouse or child; and how fiduciaries administer estates and trusts.

This course introduces students to the U.S. legal system and study of law. Topics: the legal method, the common law system, judicial case and statutory analyses, the legal profession, and core areas of the law. Restriction: permission of instructor.

A course exploring a topic not covered by the standard curriculum but of interest to faculty and students in a particular semester.

A student and full-time law school faculty member may agree to an individual research project for one, two, or three hours of credit. It is anticipated that the student will meet with the faculty member regularly during the completion of the project to review the work being done. A written product normally is expected, but its length and content shall be determined by the supervising faculty member. Offered on a CR/NC basis only.

Students enrolled in the Law of Indigenous Peoples class will be invited to join the Tribal Law Journal staff for the fall and spring semesters of their second and third years. Students will meet throughout the year to learn Bluebook citations, how to cite sources of traditional law, editing and source checking scholarly papers.

The editor(s) of the Tribal Law Journal will work with the Editor-in-Chief in soliciting and selecting for publication articles submitted to the journal on internal indigenous law. Student editors will work collaboratively with authors to create a final product that reflects the mission of the journal, and at the same time, maintains the integrity of the authors’ work.

This course continues the analysis (begun in Civil Procedure I) of the procedural stages of a simple lawsuit, considers special problems raised by complex litigation, and explores alternatives to traditional litigation as a means of resolving disputes.

This course explores private real property land-use arrangements, including problems arising under land sale contracts, deed formalities and construction, the recording system, and non-possessory interests in land such as easements, real covenants, and equitable servitudes. The course also covers other topics related to interests in real property and the use of real property, including landlord/tenant law and nuisance. The focus of the course is on general theory and practice, with side-glances at New Mexico law for illustrative purposes.

his basic three hour course in Administrative Law studies the legal functioning of government agencies. Agency actions resemble actions of legislatures and courts, prosecutors and advocates.

This course provides a historical and a contemporary perspective on the internal law of Indigenous peoples, domestically and internationally. This course is intended to familiarize students not only with traditional and contemporary aspects of the internal law of tribes. The tremendous influence exerted by outside forces on the internal law of Indigenous peoples will also be considered in a critical manner.

This course will focus on trial procedure, evidence, and trial skills utilizing lectures and class discussions on the principles of evidence and trial skills, demonstrations of trial skills, practice sessions in which each student performs various exercises to learn trial skill, individual review with me of videotapes of the trial practice performances, and mock jury trial. Each student is also required to complete a trial notebook that is used during the mock trial.

This 3 credit hours course examines the multitude of issues involving the immigrants and the law. Starting with the historical origins of the United States immigration law, the course will focus on family and employer sponsored immigration, asylum, naturalization, exclusion, and deportation regulations. The impact of the US Patriot Act will also be explored.

This course surveys the components of Intellectual Property Law, including the Law of Ideas, Copyrights, the Right of Publicity, Trademark Law, Unfair Competition Law, Trade Secrets, Patent Law. The marketing of Intellectual Property related goods represents one of the most dynamic sectors of the U.S. and world economy. U.S. exports of all intellectual property products are second only to those of aircraft.

Pretrial Practice follows the management of a civil lawsuit from establishing an attorney-client relationship through a settlement conference. The emphasis is on the strategies and tactics of litigation and solving real-world pretrial problems. Students will be assigned to represent either a plaintiff or a defendant in a simulated case. It is helpful to have taken civil procedure and evidence before enrolling in this course.

Law Office Externs are law students who are placed under the supervision of a practicing lawyer to obtain knowledge and experience in the practice of law. While working with their supervising attorney, students have the opportunity to gain valuable practical skills in a real-world setting.  Prerequisite: Completion of first year curriculum. Offered on a CR/NC basis only.

The Community Lawyering Clinic provides outreach legal services in partnership with local community service providers, including non-legal disciplines. MLAC law students represent children, caregivers, and families to address non-biological factors affecting children’s health. Students represent clients in Family Court, Children’s Court (juvenile delinquency), and other venues as necessary.

The Southwest Indian Law Clinic (SILC) provides high quality legal representation and clinical practice experience in Indian Country. SILC students may represent individual clients and/or tribal groups or Indian communities. 

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This course will be led by Professor Leo Romero or Professor Joshua Kastenberg. The professor will be assisted by four adjuncts--two adjuncts assigned to the course by the Bernalillo County Public Defender’s Office and by two assigned by the 13th Judicial District Attorney's Office. Pre-req.: Evidence, co-req.: Ethics Highly Recommended: Criminal Procedure I, Criminal Procedure II, Trial Practice, Evidence & Trial Practice

The Judicial Extern Program provides law students with a candid first hand experience in the judicial decision-making process. This is accomplished by placing students in a judge or justice's office for a specified number of hours each week to work directly with the judge in daily decision-making tasks. Prerequisite: Completion of first year curriculum.

This course studies the rules governing the professional conduct of lawyers and explores the values of the legal system which justify and explain those rules. Specific subject matter includes: the duties of competence, confidentiality, and loyalty; acquisition and retention of clients; and problems concerning the manner of representation.