Personal Law

This seminar is designed to familiarize students with the Indiana University campus and the Bloomington community through study of the legal framework surrounding activities typical of college students and young adults. Students will be exposed to the major areas of law that have a significant impact on their daily lives. The course explores the legal aspects of activities such as renting an apartment or living in a dorm, buying on credit, drinking alcohol, driving a car, inheriting property, marriage/relationships, parenting, and getting a job. This includes study of the Indiana University's policies and procedures for dealing with academic and personal misconduct and the Campus Judicial System.

Students will take part in a variety of activities both in and outside of class, including visits to IU Student Legal Services and the local jail, as well as discussions with experts in different areas of law such as defense and prosecuting attorneys, law enforcement officers, a judge, banking professionals, and a landlord/tenant panel. Students will also develop their critical reasoning and writing skills by doing legal analyses using various sources, including current news articles, movies, stories, and court cases.

Students will have the opportunity to interact with professionals with a variety of different legal expertise and participate in discussions and activities related to personal law issues of interest to most college students. Grades for the course are based on several short legal writing assignments, quizzes and in-class exercises, and a final exam.