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Course Info for PBPL - 401 - 01, Spring 2026
Class number: 1220 Title: Curr Iss: Supreme Ct & Pub Pol Department: Public Policy & Law
Career: Undergraduate Component: Seminar Session: Regular
Instructor's Permission Required: Yes Grading Basis: Regular Units: 1.00
Enrollment limited to 15 Current enrollment: 16 Available seats: 0
Start date: Tuesday, January 20, 2026 End date: Friday, May 8, 2026 Mode of Instruction: In Person
Schedule: T: 1:30PM-4:10PM, 70VS - SEM Instructor(s): Gleason, Shane
Prerequisite(s): This course is only open to senior Public Policy and Law majors.
Distribution Requirement: Meets Writing Emphasis Part2 Requirements
Course Description:
Judges' decisions are consequential for many aspects of our daily lives. Yet, the precise mechanisms of how they reach their decisions are shrouded in mystery. This senior seminar explores the determinants of judicial behavior. We take as our starting point that jurists have multiple political, legal, and strategic goals. Along the way, they are also shaped by the actions of other legal actors such as organized interests and attorneys. With a heavy focus on the contemporary literature, we primarily examine the U.S. Supreme Court, but we also explore lower federal, state, and international courts.