Academics

Course Descriptions

Classes. Each clinical course includes regularly scheduled classes designed to review the law and procedure relevant to the clinic's practice, and to engage students in classroom exercises designed to assist in developing the legal skills required to represent clients.

Prerequisites. Students may enroll in the Disability, Immigration, and Wrongful Conviction Clinics following completion of the first-year requirements.

To enroll in the Civil Practice, Criminal Defense, and Appellate Clinics, students also must satisfy the requirements of the Indiana Supreme Court rules for certification to practice law.

Indiana Supreme Court Rule 2.1 permits a law student to practice under the supervision of a licensed attorney. The student may perform in all respects as an attorney admitted to the bar if the student has successfully completed one-half or more of the credit hours required for graduation, is in good academic standing, has satisfactorily completed or is enrolled in Professional Responsibility (DN861) and is certified by the dean.

Credits. Students are required to spend 60 hours on clinic activities for each credit hour earned. Students enrolled for 3 credits will spend approximately 12-14 hours per week on clinic activities. Class time and time representing clients counts toward the 60 hour requirement. Clinics are offered durng the fall and spring semesters. These courses are graded on a pass/fail basis.

Students may not enroll in more than one clinic per semester without the permission of the clinic faculty. The law school has a 12-credit restriction on clinical courses (these include internships and externships) and a 12-credit limitation on certain non-classroom electives. One-half of clinic credits count toward the latter limitation. For further information see: http://indylaw.indiana.edu/ clinics/acc.htm

Clinical Programs

The law school offers six clinical courses that provide students with opportunities to counsel and represent actual clients under the direct supervision of law school faculty.

Appellate Clinic (2 cr.) D/N 808 students represent indigent clients in civil or criminal appeals. Conducted under the supervision of clinical faculty, students are responsible for all aspects of representation, including client communication, drafting motions and briefs to the Indiana Court of Appeals, presenting oral argument and litigating a petition to transfer to the Indiana Supreme Court. P: Completion of 45 credit hours, Criminal Law (D/N 533), Intramural Moot Court (D/N 746), and completion of or enrollment in Professional Responsibility (D/N 861). The following courses are strongly recommended: Evidence (D/N 632), Criminal Procedure: Investigation (D/N 702), and Appellate Practice (D/N 810). Students must submit an application and receive instructor approval prior to registration. (Application: DOC | PDF)

Civil Practice Clinic (3 or 4 cr.) D/N 808 Students represent clients in a variety of civil matters. These include domestic cases, such as dissolution of marriage, custody, support, paternity, and domestic violence; housing controversies; consumer problems; challenges to administrative decisions of state and federal agencies; and a variety of other general civil problems. This clinic is conducted under the supervision of clinical faculty, but students are responsible for all aspects of representation, including presentations in court and administrative hearings. P: Completion of 45 credit hours and completion of or enrollment in Professional Responsibility (DN861). (Application: DOC | PDF)

Criminal Defense Clinic (3 or 4 cr.) D/N 808 Students represent clients in criminal cases involving a variety of misdemeanor or Class D felony charges. Conducted under supervision of clinical faculty, students are responsible for all aspects of representation, including presentations in court. P: Completion of 45 credit hours, Criminal Law (DN533), Evidence (DN632), Criminal Procedure: Investigation (DN702) and completion of or enrollment in Professional Responsibility (DN861).

Disability Clinic (2 cr.) D/N 808 Under faculty supervision, students interview, counsel, and represent persons with disabilities in administrative appeals. Typical legal problems presented include eligibility for and continuation of benefits based on disability from the Social Security Administration. P: Completion of all basic-level required courses except Constitutional Law.

Health and Human Rights Clinic (3 cr.) D/N 808 Students in the Health and Human Rights Clinic represent, under faculty supervision, low income clients referred from local healthcare providers. The clinic law students work with healthcare providers to address clients’ civil legal issues which act as social determinants of health, including housing, consumer, family law, and public benefits problems. Classroom and applied training will be provided in legal practice skills, including interviewing, counseling, legal drafting, fact investigation, and advocacy. (Application: DOC | PDF)

Immigration Clinic (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 808 Students represent both detained and non-detained clients in immigration matters before federal administrative agencies under the supervision of the professor/counsel. Typical cases involve claims of asylum, family-based immigration petitions (including domestic violence) and crime victim visas. Students may enroll in the clinic for two consecutive semesters. P: Course is open to upper level J.D. students and LL.M. students. Completion of or enrollment in Immigration Law (unless waived by the instructor) and Professional Responsibility is required. Students must receive instructor approval prior to registration. (Application: DOC | PDF)

Wrongful Conviction Clinic (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 808 Students represent indigent clients seeking relief from wrongful convictions in state post-conviction and/or federal habeas corpus proceedings. State cases are accepted in cooperation with the Office of the State Public Defender. In the classroom component of the course, students consider federal and state post-conviction remedies and the relevant issues, including eyewitness identifications, false confessions, informants, government misconduct, junk science, and DNA testing. Registration is for 2-3 credit hours, pass/fail, with sixty hours of clinical activity required for each credit hour. Students completing the Criminal Defense Clinic are eligible to register. Without the prerequisite of the Criminal Defense Clinic, registration is in the discretion of the faculty. (Application: DOC | PDF)