Calendar

Tentative Schedule

Week 01
Topics

  • Course Introduction
  • Introduction to Ethics
  • Fundamentals of Law
  • American Legal System
Readings and Resources
Assignments

Week 02
Topics

  • The First Amendment: Fundamentals
Readings and Resources

  • Hopkins, W. Wat, ed.  “Chapter 2, The First Amendment in Theory and Practice.” Communication and the Law, 2011 ed. Northport, Alabama: Vision Press, 2011.
  • Hopkins, W. Wat, ed.  “Chapter 3, Conduct and Speech.” Communication and the Law, 2011 ed. Northport, Alabama: Vision Press, 2011.
  • Key Court Cases
    • Schenck v. United States, 249 U.S. 47 (1919)
    • Abrams v. U.S., 250 U.S. 616 (1919)
    • Gitlow v. New York, 268 U.S. 652, (1925)
    • Whitney v. California, 274 U.S. 357 (1927)
    • Brandenburg v. Ohio, 395 U.S. 444 (1969)
    • Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York v. Village of Stratton 536 U.S. 150 (2002)
  • Online Resources
Assignments

Week 03
Topics

  • The First Amendment: Conduct and Speech, Prior Restraint, and Current Issues
Readings and Resources

  • Hopkins, W. Wat, ed.  “Chapter 3, Conduct and Speech.” Communication and the Law, 2011 ed. Northport, Alabama: Vision Press, 2011.
  • Hopkins, W. Wat, ed.  “Chapter 4, Prior Restraint.” Communication and the Law, 2011 ed. Northport, Alabama: Vision Press, 2011.
  • Key Court Cases
    • Near v. Minnesota, 283 U.S. 697 (1931)
    • Grosjean v. American Press Co., Inc., 297 U.S. 233 (1936)
    • New York Times v. United States, 403 U.S. 713 (1971)
    • R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul, 505 U.S. 377 (1992)
    • Virginia v. Black, 123 S. Ct. 1536 (2003)
  • Online Resources
Assignments

Week 04
Topics

  • Defamation: Libel and Slander
Readings and Resources

  • Hopkins, W. Wat, ed.  “Chapter 6, Defamation.” Communication and the Law, 2011 ed. Northport, Alabama: Vision Press, 2011.
  • Key Court Cases
    • New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1964)
    • Associated Press v. Walker, 388 U.S. 130 (1967)
    • Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc., 418 U.S. 323 (1974)
    • Time, Inc. v. Firestone, 424 U.S. 448 (1976)
    • Milkovich v. Lorain Journal Co., 497 U.S. 1 (1990)
    • Masson v. New Yorker Magazine, 501 U.S. 496 (1991)
  • Online Resources
Assignments

Week 05
Topics

  • Defamation: Libel and Slander (Defenses and Damages)
Readings and Resources

  • Hopkins, W. Wat, ed.  “Chapter 6, Defamation.” Communication and the Law, 2011 ed. Northport, Alabama: Vision Press, 2011.
  • Key Court Cases
    • New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1964)
    • Associated Press v. Walker, 388 U.S. 130 (1967)
    • Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc., 418 U.S. 323 (1974)
    • Time, Inc. v. Firestone, 424 U.S. 448 (1976)
    • Milkovich v. Lorain Journal Co., 497 U.S. 1 (1990)
    • Masson v. New Yorker Magazine, 501 U.S. 496 (1991)
  • Online Resources
Assignments

Week 06
Topics

  • Invasion of Privacy
Readings and Resources

  • Hopkins, W. Wat, ed.  “Chapter 14, Privacy Rights in an Open and Changing Society.” Communication and the Law, 2011 ed. Northport, Alabama: Vision Press, 2011.
  • Key Court Cases
    • Time, Inc. v. Hill, 385 U.S. 374 (1967)
    • Cox Broadcasting Corp. v. Cohn, 420 U.S. 469 (1975)
    • Zacchini v. Scripps Howard, 433 U.S. 562 (1977)
    • Florida Star v. B.J.F., 491 U.S. 524 (1989)
    • Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 (2003)
  • Online Resources
Assignments

Week 07
Topics

  • Journalism: Free Press and Fair Trial
Readings and Resources

  • Hopkins, W. Wat, ed.  “Chapter 16, Access to Courts.” Communication and the Law, 2011 ed. Northport, Alabama: Vision Press, 2011.
  • Key Court Cases
    • Sheppard v. Maxwell, 384 U.S. 333 (1966)
    • Nebraska Press Association v. Stuart, 427 U.S. 539 (1976)
    • Richmond Newspapers, Inc. v. Virginia, 448 U.S. 555 (1980)
    • Associated Press v. District Court, 705 F.2d 114 (1983)
  • Online Resources
Assignments

  • DUE: Critical Analysis Exam 1
  • DUE: Critical Essay Proposal
    • DUE: Critical Essay Tentative
    • DUE: Critical Essay Tentative Outline
  • Lecture and Discussion: “Free Press and Fair Trial”
  • Academic Journal 7
  • Course Brief Form
  • Course Notes Form

Week 08
  • SPRING BREAK AND MIDTERM GRADES
Assignments

Week 09
Topics

  • Journalism: Newsgathering and Access to Documents and Meetings
Readings and Resources

  • Hopkins, W. Wat, ed.  “Chapter 18, Newsgathering.” Communication and the Law, 2011 ed. Northport, Alabama: Vision Press, 2011.
  • Hopkins, W. Wat, ed.  “Chapter 17, Access to Public Documents and Meetings.” Communication and the Law, 2011 ed. Northport, Alabama: Vision Press, 2011.
  • Key Court Cases
    • Branzburg v. Hayes, 408 U.S. 665 (1972)
    • Cohen v. Cowles Media Co., 501 U.S. 663 (1991)
    • Department of Justice v. Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, 489 U.S. 749 (1989)
    • Bibles v. Oregon Natural Desert Assn., 519 U.S. 355 (1997)
    • United States v. Weatherhead, 528 U.S. 1042 (1999)
  • Online Resources
Assignments

Week 10
Topics

  • Public Relations Law
Readings and Resources

  • Hopkins, W. Wat, ed.  “Chapter 9, Regulating Public Relations.” Communication and the Law, 2011 ed. Northport, Alabama: Vision Press, 2011.
  • Key Court Cases
    • Valentine v. Chrestensen, 316 U.S. 52 (1942)
    • Virginia State Board of Pharmacy v. Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, Inc., 425 U.S. 748 (1976)
    • Central Hudson Gas and Electric v. Public Service Commission of New York, 447 U.S. 557 (1980)
    • Posadas de Puerto Rico Associates v. Tourism Company of Puerto Rico, 478 U.S. 328 (1986)
    • 44 Liquormart Inc. v. Rhode Island, 517 U.S. 484 (1996)
  • Online Resources
Assignments

  • DUE: Content Knowledge Exam 2
    • Free Press and Fair Trial
    • Newsgathering
    • Access to Public Documents and Meetings
    • Public Relations Law
  • Lecture and Discussion: “Public Relations Law”
  • Academic Journal 10
  • Course Brief Form
  • Course Notes Form

Week 11
Topics

  • Advertising Law and Regulation
Readings and Resources

  • Hopkins, W. Wat, ed.  “Chapter 8, Regulating Advertising.” Communication and the Law, 2011 ed. Northport, Alabama: Vision Press, 2011.
  • Key Court Cases
    • Valentine v. Chrestensen, 316 U.S. 52 (1942)
    • Virginia State Board of Pharmacy v. Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, Inc., 425 U.S. 748 (1976)
    • Central Hudson Gas and Electric v. Public Service Commission of New York, 447 U.S. 557 (1980)
    • Posadas de Puerto Rico Associates v. Tourism Company of Puerto Rico, 478 U.S. 328 (1986)
    • 44 Liquormart Inc. v. Rhode Island, 517 U.S. 484 (1996)
  • Online Resources
Assignments

Week 12
Topics

  • Copyright, Trademarks, and Intellectual Property
Readings and Resources

  • Hopkins, W. Wat, ed.  “Chapter 7, Intellectual Property.” Communication and the Law, 2011 ed. Northport, Alabama: Vision Press, 2011.
  • Key Court Cases
    • Rosemont Enterprises v. Random House, 366 F.2d. 303 (1966)
    • Harper and Row Publishers, Inc., v. Nation Enterprises, 471 U.S. 539 (1985)
    • Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service Co., 499 U.S. 340 (1991)
    • Fogerty  v. Fantasy, 510 U.S. 517 (1994)
    • Eldred v. Ashcroft, 537 U.S. 186 (2003)
    • Moseley v. Victoria Secret Catalogue, 537 U.S. 418 (2003)
  • Online Resources
Assignments

Week 13
Topics

  • Obscenity and Pornography
Readings and Resources

  • Hopkins, W. Wat, ed.  “Chapter 5, Regulating Pornography.” Communication and the Law, 2011 ed. Northport, Alabama: Vision Press, 2011.
  • KeyCourt Cases
    • Roth v. United States, 354 U.S. 476 (1957)
    • Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15 (1973)
    • Federal Communications Commission v. Pacifica Foundation, 438 U.S. 726 (1978)
    • New York v. Ferber, 458 U.S. 747 (1982)
    • National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley, 524 U.S. 569 (1998)
    • Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition, 122 S.Ct. 1389 (2002)
    • U.S. v. American Library Association, No. 02-361 (2003)
  • Online Resources
Assignments

Week 14
Topics

  • New Communication Technologies
Readings and Resources

  • Hopkins, W. Wat, ed.  “Chapter 12, New Communication Technologies.” Communication and the Law, 2011 ed. Northport, Alabama: Vision Press, 2011.
  • Key Court Cases
    • Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. Federal Communications Commission, 395 U.S. 367 (1969)
    • Reno v. ACLU, 521 U.S. 844 (1997)
    • Turner Broadcasting System v. FCC, 512 U.S. 622 (1994)
    • Turner Broadcasting System v. FCC, 520 U.S. 180 (1997)
  • Online Resources
Assignments

Week 15
Topics

  • Critical Research Essay Seminar
Readings and Resources

  • TBA
Assignments

Week 16
Topics

  • FINAL EXAMS
Readings and Resources

  • TBA
Assignments

  • DUE: Content Knowledge Exam 3
    • Public Relations Law
    • Advertising Law and Regulation
    • Copyright, Trademarks, and Intellectual Property
    • Obscenity and Pornography
    • New Communication Technologies
  • DUE: Critical Analysis Exam 2

Online Resources

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