This course is an introduction to selected substantive, procedural, historical, and institutional aspects of the law. Ultimately, it is about critical thinking and clear communication. Student will be provided with a rigorous understanding of the ways that rhetoric, argument, fallacies, values, and evidence are deployed in deciding fundamental social questions, using 15 cases from the United States Supreme Court as specimen. After hearing argument and analysis from leading legal scholars in their fields, students will engage in facilitated small-group discussions and complete intensive writing assignments. Students will develop their reasoning skills, becoming more critical thinkers and writers.