Maryland Criminal Law Practice seeks to equip students with a detailed understanding of common Maryland crimes and the evidentiary difficulties and challenges attendant to them. Moreover, the course seeks to instill in students experience with common criminal litigation practices, such as preparing witnesses and challenging different forms of evidence. Students will hopefully complete this course better ready to prosecute and defend criminal cases in Maryland’s courtrooms.

The course itself is divided into two broad sections. The first section, covering the first seven weeks of the semester, focuses on misdemeanor criminal law practice in Maryland’s District Courts. Students will learn about criminal charges commonly prosecuted in the District Court, how they are prepared for trial by the State, and how they are defended by the defense. Students will also learn practical skills used every day in the District Court, including plea negotiations and day-of-trial motions practice.

The second section of the course, covering the second seven weeks of the semester, focuses on felony trial practice in Maryland’s Circuit Courts. Students will glean how discovery and motions practice differs in the Circuit Court from the District Court. Students will also broadly learn about common felonies prosecuted in the Circuit Court, evidentiary issues attendant to those felonies, and how those issues may be litigated. Finally, students will glean practical litigation skills for Circuit Court practice, such as preparing sentencing guidelines for plea negotiations and sentencing hearings, and jury selection.