Class hours:  M 8:10-10:40
Office hours:  W 5-7, TuTh 2-4
Office:  Ward 252
Phone:  (202) 885-2955
email:  dgolash@american.edu - Please include "JLS 513" in your subject line to assure a prompt response.
Course website:  http://www.american.edu/dgolash/law&econ.htm

The economic analysis of law is an approach to the understanding of legal issues through the lens of individual interest-seeking.  In this course, you will learn how to apply economic principles and analysis to the law.  We will also consider the weaknesses and limitations of this approach.

Materials

• David Friedman, Law's Order:  What Economics Has to Do with Law and Why It Matters, Princeton, 2001.
• Notes for this book are on the web.  A draft version of the book (without notes) is also posted.
• Additional readings will be drawn from online sources such as the world wide web, Lexis, and JSTOR.
• For further explanation of course concepts and application to other areas of law, see the following books on reserve at the library:
• Mitchell A. Polinsky, Introduction to Law and Economics, 2nd ed., Aspen, 1989.
• Thomas Ulen and Richard Cooter, Law and Economics
• Richard Posner, Law and Economics, 5th ed. 1998

• All students are expected to attend class and to be prepared to discuss the required reading.
• There will be a brief written homework assignment for every class.
• The class will be divided into four groups.  For each class, one group will be responsible for a brief presentation on some aspect of either required or recommended reading, as assigned.  Each group will take three turns (see schedule).
• There will be a midterm and a final exam.

• Attendance: 13 points.  Each absence subtracts one point.
• Homework assignments:  12 points.  One point for each completed, on-time assignment.
• Group presentations:  5 points each (=15)
• Class participation:  10 points
• Midterm: 20 points
• Final exam: 30 points