Economic Analysis of Law

Santa Clara University School of Law

Professor David Friedman

Fall 2012

 

Course Requirements

The course will have a midterm and a final. In addition, each student is expected to pick one side of a law case and present, either orally or in writing, a case for that side based on economic arguments. You may choose any case, past or present, provided that the case was not actually argued on economic grounds and is not discussed in either Law's Order or Richard Posner's Economic Analysis of Law. Oral arguments should be about ten to fifteen minutes, written arguments about three to five pages. If you want to give an oral presentation, speak to me in advance so I can fit it into the schedule.


Syllabus (Including assignment for the first class)

Law's Order: Webbed page images with virtual footnotes

Audio Recordings of classes and pictures of whiteboard from Spring 2011

Video recordings of this year's classes.


Midterm
Mean: 38/50
Midterm with answers


Stories You Should Understand

One way of remembering ideas is by the stories that go with them--from the Bionic Burglar Alarm to the Rational Voodoo Killer. Here is a list of story titles that you may find useful. We will cover all of them by the end of the semester



Old Exams

Midterm Spring 1997

Midterm Fall 1995

Midterm 2000

Midterm Spring 2009

Final Fall 1995

Final Spring 2011


Price Theory: An Intermediate Text

My Price Theory textbook is webbed; you may find parts of it useful for explaining economic concepts in more detail. They include:

Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, which present a general introduction to economics.

Chapter 11, which discusses strategic behavior, game theory, et. al.

Chapter 15, which discusses economic efficiency and related concepts.

Chapter 18, which discusses market failure problems, including externalities.

Additional chapters are available through the table of contents page.


Office Hours: Bergin 204: M/W 1:30-2:30. Other times by arrangement.
Virtual office hours, via email, 24/7. I can be reached at:

ddfr@daviddfriedman.com


My Academic Page

My Home Page

Email to Me