Overview
ANALYTICAL PAPER Each student is required to complete one short paper (8-10 pages, double-spaced), allowing exploration of the operation of the particular issue in the real world. Critical to each assignment will be: (1) description of the state of the law (status quo); (2) evaluation of the findings referring to cases and information from the text and other sources; (3) reflection the legal and moral issues associated with the result; and (4) proffering an improved result or validation of the result. The font size must be 12, the margins must be 1”, the font must be Times New Roman, and there must not be any header/footer or headnotes/footnotes other than for your name and other identification information related to the assignment. A bibliography must be attached. The Analytical Paper must be in either APA or MLA format. ASSIGNMENT – CHOOSE ONE TOPIC OBSCENITY: Considering the rapid growth of the Internet and the difficulty regulating it, should the Miller Test be revised to deal with new forms of obscenity? If you had the power, which of the following actions would you take: (a) keep the Miller Test exactly as it is; (b) revise or update the Miller Test to reflect new technology; (c) throw out the Miller Test in its entirety and replace it with a new standard; or, (4) throw out the Miller Test and not replace it? (from Bobbitt, Communication Law). INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: Locate a current applicable IP (copyright or trademark, not patent) dispute in the news. Discuss the history of the applicable law, the issues of the case, any related cases which shed light upon the issues, and how it affects the industry that is involved in the issue. You will need to research every aspect of the issue – from more than one website! You should discuss both sides of the case and opine as to which side should prevail (and why!) POLITICAL SPEECH: Read the 2010 case – CITIZENS UNITED v. FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION. Complete a detailed analysis and discuss both sides of the issue (amicus briefs field with the USSC will help you here). What was the result? Evaluate the positive and negative effects of the USSC decision on the past two and the upcoming presidential election.