Syllabus for Evidence Class Fall 2005

Adjunct Professor Tim Riley

©2005 Riley Law Firm.  All rights reserved. 

The following is a list of readings from the casebook and other sources. We will take up these readings in approximately this order in the course.

This syllabus will remain posted at <www.txtrial.com>, and will be updated from time to time. You should check the website no less than weekly to see if any changes to the assignments have been made.

This is a flexible syllabus. Time allowing, reading materials not covered the week scheduled will be covered the following week. It will be the student's responsibility to keep up with where the class left off to prepare for the following week's assignment.  It will also be the student's responsibility to be familiar with all the assigned materials, even if they are not covered in class.

All supplemental readings are hyperlinked below.  You can read them online or download and print.  Alternatively, you can obtain the entire text of any case from the library or through a computerized legal research service.  However, most of the cases assigned and posted here have been truncated to save time while still illustrating the point for which the case was selected.  Be sure to check the updated syllabus each week prior to class, because additional supplemental cases will likely be added from time to time.

With thanks to the folks at Cornell University, a copy of the Federal Rules of Evidence, which can be used during the final examination, can be downloaded at the hyperlink above.  In addition, Cornell makes the Federal Rules available on-line, together with the Notes of the Advisory Committee on the Rules. The Committee Notes can be very helpful in understanding the Rules.  You can get to the Cornell Federal Rules of Evidence website by clicking here.

Week 1, 8-24-05 and 8-25-05

Text Readings:

• None
   

PowerPoint slide presentation here.

Supplemental Readings:

• Professor Crump's Evidence Review summary. Be prepared to analyze the problems in class.

• Excerpt from The Stranger, by Albert Camus. Be prepared to identify the evidentiary problems presented with each witness, as well as the reason for inclusion of the insert for this class.

Week 2, 8-31-05 and 9-1-05

• FRE 401-02

• Notes on Rules 401-402 (p. 25 text)

• Crump excerpt from text (25)

• Notes and questions about logical relevancy (26)

• Notes (31)

• Problem A ("Dream Evidence") (33)

• FRE 403

• Notes and Questions 1, 2, 4 (36)

• Problem C (Adamson v. California) (47)

• Problem D (911 calls, etc.) (48)

• FRE 105

• Note on Rule 105 (21)

• Problem E (22) (Prior conviction)

• FRE 103

• Notes and Questions 1-3 (p. 6)

• Note 5 (p. 7)

• Problem A (med. mal. case offer of proof) (7)

Supplemental Readings:

Temple-Inland v. Carter

Pustejovsky v. Rapid American

Blue v. State

Week 2 PowerPoint slides here

Week 3, 9-7-05 and 9-8-05

Text Readings:

• FRE 801(a)-(c)

• Introduction (73)

• Leake v. Hagert (tail-light case) (73)

• FRE 801(c)

• Creaghe v. Iowa Home Mut. Cas. Co. (cancelled insurance) (74)

• Notes; Ferrara v. Galluchio (cancerphobia) (76)

• Problem A (77)

• Problem Set B, 1-5 (77)

• Bridges v. State (87)

• Problem set B, 7-8 (clock, directory, etc. (78)

• U.S. v. Jackson (82)

• Altkrug v. William Whitman Co. (noncompliant) (83)

• Problem set C, 2-4 (assertive & non-assertive (84)

• FRE 801(d)(1)(A)

• Introduction (89)

• State v. Saporen (impeachment only; common law) (91)

• Notes (92)

Supplemental Readings:

Domingues v. City of San Antonio

Guidry v. State

Utica Nat'l Ins. Co. v. McDonald

Williams v. Jennings

Week 3 PowerPoint slides here.

Week 4, 9-14-05 and 9-15-05

Text Readings:

• FRE 801(d)(1)(B)

• Tome v. U.S. (93)

• Notes (pre-motive only) (after Tome)

• FRE 801(d)(2)(A)

• Introduction (103)

• Text Supplement (in supplemental materials just before hearsay quiz)

• Susemiehl v. Red River Lumber Co. (conclusory, hearsay-based) (103)

• Problem A (105) ("It was my fault")

• FRE 801(d)(2)(B)

• U.S. v. Flecha (silence after arrest) (105)

• FRE 801(d)(2)(C)

• Contractor Utility Sales Co., Inc. v. Certain-Teed Prods. Corp. (superseded pleadings) (109)

• FRE 801(d)(2)(D)

• Rudzinski v. Warner Theaters, Inc. (janitor's statement) (110)

• Problem C (lineman "dropped" object; claims agent) (115)

• FRE 801(d)(2)(E)

• Reconsider Flecha (post-arrest)

• Hearsay Quiz, items 1-10, 12-19 only (124)

• FRE 803(1)

• Houston Oxygen Co. v. Davis ("they must have been drunk") (132)

• FRE 803(2)

• Staiger v. Gaardner ("eyes off the road") (128)

• Notes following Staiger (excitement, spontaneity)

• Problem Set A, 1-2 (134)

• FRE 803(3)

• Notes 1-3 (Melton and Atkins cases) (135)

• U.S. v. Pheaster (present intention used under Hillmon Doctrine to prove future conduct) (137)

• Note 1 (2 branches of Hillmon Doctrine) (142)

• Problem Set C 1-4 (various formulations of intent and memory) (144)

• FRE 803(4)

Supplemental Readings:

Hearsay Quiz. (Note that these are the textbook's proposed answers to the quiz.  The quiz itself appears at page 124-25 of the textbook.)

Weeks 4 & 5 combined PowerPoint slides here. 

Week 5, 9-21-05 and 9-22-05

Text Readings:

• FRE 803(5)

• Problem E-3 (multiple recorders) (161

• FRE 803(6)

• U.S. v. Kim (bank's letter) (161)

• Problem Set G, 1 (bank's letter), 2 (one-shot report), 3 (doctor's letter) (174-75)

• FRE 803(7)

• FRE 803(10)

• FRE 803(8)

• Beech Aircraft Corp. v. Rainey (conclusions, opinions) (177)

• Notes 2-4 (181-82)

• FRE 803(13)-(23)

• Text, misc. exceptions (184)

• FRE 807

• Huff v. White Motor Corp. (pants leg on fire) (220)

• Notes following Huff, numbers 4 and 8

• FRE 804(a)

• Warren v. U.S. (assault victim) (185)

• FRE 804(b)(1)

• Llloyd v. American Export Lines, Inc. (fighting sailors) (190)

• FRE 804(b)(2)

• State v. Caplin (murdered wife) (197)

• FRE 804(b)(3)

• Williamson v. U.S. (exception applies to "against" parts only) (204)

• Notes following Williamson

• Problem D (admitted heroin use) (214)

• Hearsay Exceptions Quiz 1-20 (231)

Supplemental Readings:

• Associated Indemnity Corp. v. Dixon

• McRae v. Echols

• Texas DPS v. Bond

• Kratz v. Exxon
   

Weeks 4 & 5 combined PowerPoint slides here.

Week 6, 9-28-05 and 9-29-05

Text Readings:

• No additional reading. Catch up on materials.

Supplemental Readings:

None.

Week 7, 10-5-05 and 10-6-05

Text Readings:

• Note 3 (definitions or relevance) (27)

• FRE 401, 402, 403, 104

• Carter v. Hewitt (29)

• U.S. v. Jackson (false name in Georgia) (39)

• FRE 404(b) (first sentence)

• Introduction (267)

• Questions 1-7(character vs. another purpose) (267)

• U.S. v. Calvert (policies) (268)

• FRE 404(b)

• Jones v. State (theft by pretext) (268)

• Huddleston v. U.S. (270)

• Notes following Huddleston 1, 5-7 (proof requirements, etc.)

• FRE 405(b)

• Carbo v. U.S. (302)

• Old Chief v. U.S. (prior convictions as an element) (290)

• Notes following Old Chief 1-2

• Problem B (299)

• Problem Set C (301)

• FRE 404(a)(1)

• Note 1 on Jackson case ("pertinent trait") (310)

• Note 3 on Becker case (prosecution rebuttal or cross) (310)

• FRE 405(a)

• Note 5 on Bright case (have-you-heards) (312)

• FRE 404(a)(2)-(3)

• Problem Set E, 1 (victim) (314)

• Problem Set E, 2 (witness) (315)

• Historical Note (unchastity reputation, corroboration, etc.) (315)

• FRE 412

• Note 4 (sexual orientation) (317)

• FRE 413-15

• Introductory Note (319)

• U.S. v. Roberts (319)

• Notes on Rule 403 (320)

Supplemental Readings:

• Hines v. State

Weeks 7 PowerPoint slides here. 

Week 8, 10-12-05 and 10-13-05

Text Readings:

• Notes 1, 3, 5 on impeachment: General Precepts (382-85)

• FRE 406

• Note 2 on Levin v. U.S. (habit-common law) (326)

• Problem 4 (who's the pilot) (329)

• Problem 5 (racial discrimination) (329)

• John Deere Co. v. May (similar occurrences) (339)

• FRE 407

• Bauman v. Volkswagenwerk (door latch) (346)

• FRE 408

• Ramada Dev. Co. v. Rauch (pre-negotiation report) (351)

• Note 2 following Ramada (bias) (353)

• FRE 410

• FRE 411

• Charter v. Chleborad (insurance co. witness) (355)

• Problem 4 (first paragraph only - ownership) (358)

• FRE 409 (medical, hospital, or similar expenses)

• Norfolk & W. Ry. v. Henderson (distance of sight) (66)

• FRE 106

• Problem 2 (improper non-insurance evidence) (357)

• FRE 601

• FRE 603

• FRE 610

• U.S. v. Allen (child) (363)

• Note 1 (explaining Dead Man Statute concept) (366)

• Reinke v. Stewart (inapplicable, federal) (365)

• Hypnotically-enhanced evidence, Rock v. Arkansas (366)

• FRE 605, 606

• Tanner v. U.S. (partying jurors) (369)

• Notes following Tanner

Supplemental Readings:

• Boyett v. Caterpillar Tractor Co.

• Howard v. Faberge, Inc.

• Newsome v. State

• Williaford v. State

Week 8 PowerPoint slides here.

Text Readings:

• FRE 602

• Note 1 on Strickland Trans. Co. v. Ingraham (witness "learned" fact) (371)

• FRE 602

• FRE 701

• Note 1 on Virginia Ry. case (collective facts) (430)

• Note 2 on Baltimore & Ohio RR v. Schults (opinion rejected) (430)

• FRE 702

• U.S. v. Johnson (marijuana expert) (446)

• Notes 1-2 following Johnson

• FRE 703, 704, 705

• Wilson v. Clark (450)

• Notes 1-3 following Wilson (opinion based on medical records, etc.)

• Problem A (admissibility of "facts and data" under 703) (456)

• Notes 1-3 on Frye Test (480)

• FRE 702, 403

• Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the "fit" and "reliability" requirements) (481)

• Notes on interpretation of fit and reliability (494)

• Problem A (polygraph) (495)

• Notes on procedural questions raised by Daubert (497)

• FRE 1101(d) (when rules inapplicable)

• Problem B, Haakanson v. Alaska (syndrome experts) (524)

• FRE 607, 613

• Note 2 on U.S. v. Rogers (predicate, etc.) (388)
  

• Last paragraph defining collateral matters (382)

Supplemental Readings:

• No additional materials - catch up

Supplemental Readings:  None.

Text Readings:

• U.S. v. Abel ("Aryan Brotherhood") (391)

• FRE 608(b)

• Carter v. Hewitt (the "set up" letter) (402)

• Note, Problem A, Amaechi case (tax, immigration records) (407)

• Note 1 on Luck case (408)

• FRE 609(a)(1)-(2)

• U.S. v. Smith (armed robbery; prior attempted robbery) (409)

• FRE 609(b)-(e)

• U.S. v. Estes (remote conviction; impersonating public official) (411)

• Note on balancing (415)

• Problem B (impeaching the career criminal) (417)

• FRE 608(a)

• FRE 608(b)(2)

• Osborne v. U.S. (robbery co-conspirator's reputation (417)

• FRE 803(18)

• Notes (474)

• Note 3 on rehabilitating a witness' credibility (422)

• Reconsider Tome v. U.S. (substantive, pre-motive issue only) (93)

Supplemental Readings:

• Notes 1-6 (narrative and leading questions) (372)

• FRE 611

• Note 1 on Wide Open and Restrictive (scope of cross) (380)

• Introduction (607)

• American Nat'l Watermattress Corp. v. Manville (lay investigator) (609)

• Problem A (wrongful conviction) (614)

• FRE 501

• Upjohn v. U.S. (rejecting control group) (614)

• Note 3 on government lawyers (621)

• Problem B (622)

• Notes 1-3 on Joint Defense (626)

• In re Grand Jury (identity, crime/fraud) (627)

• Problem C (get rid of the weapon) (361)

• California statute (632)

• Problem D (divorce client) (632)

• Notes 1-3, 5 (622)

• Trammel v. U.S. (abolishing adverse privilege) (633)

• Jaffee v. Redmond (recognizing under 301) (650)

Supplemental Readings:

• Introduction to judicial notice (555)

• FRE 201

• Shahar v. Bowers (555)

• Notes 4-6 following Shahar (proper conditions)

• Problem A (560)

• U.S. v. Hernandez-Fundora (criminal cases; US "territory") (568)

• Notes 1-2 on burdens (583)

• FRE 301-302

• Introductory Notes (588)

• McNulty v. Cusack (mandatory presumption (589)

• Hinds v. John Hancock (rebuttal) (592)

• Problem A (How do presumptions work?) (598)

• Note 3 (non-conclusiveness in criminal cases) (604)

Supplemental Readings:

Text Readings:

• Introductory Notes 1, 4 (698)

• FRE 1001-1008

• U.S. v. Gerhart (photocopy of altered check) (704)

• FRE 104(b)

• FRE 901

• U.S. v. Carriger (promissory notes) (675)

• U.S. v. Coffman (LSD blotter, fingerprinted first) (689)

• Note 1 (691)

• U.S. v. Thomas (tangible objects) (690)

• Notes 102 (photographs, etc.) (692)

Supplemental Readings:  Bell Motion in Limine.