LibGuides: Resources for First-Year Law Students: Criminal Law

CALI Lessons

Criminal Law Lessons
This Subject Area Index lists all CALI lessons covering Criminal Law.
Actus Reus
This exercise provides an introduction to the act requirement. In particular, it addresses the definition of "act," voluntariness, liability for omissions (failures to act), and possession offenses.
Causation
This exercise provides an overview of the concept of causation. Factual cause is distinguished from legal cause, and causation in general from mens rea and attempt. Specific issues covered include simultaneous causes, different victim, different manner, and different injury.
Defense of Others
This lesson covers the subject of defense of others. In many respects an actor's right to defend another parallels his or her right to defend himself or herself. However, there are some specific exceptions and nuances that must be understood. It is the purpose of this lesson to cover those specifics and nuances in the context of some classic scenarios.
Introduction to Homicide
This lesson provides a basic overview of the law of homicide. It is an introductory lesson to get you started on distinguishing criminal from noncriminal homicide, identifying the elements of homicide, and analyzing the varying degrees of homicide. The lesson guides you through applying the basic concepts of actus reus, mens rea and causation to homicide offenses and provides an analytical framework for approaching homicide problems. Finally, it provides separate practice questions and an opportunity to try out the problem-solving approach on an exam-type question.
Self-Defense
This is a lesson dealing with the basic justification defense of self-defense. Most of us would name self-defense as the primary justification defense; and, it is perhaps the most common or familiar of all defenses. Yet self-defense has roots in other defenses at early common law. Therefore, this lesson begins with a consideration of those roots. Moreover, there is considerable overlap between the various defenses, even when one agrees on classification. Thus, understanding the basics of self-defense is essential to understanding many or all of the justification defenses. The purpose of this lesson is to present very simply the elements of self-defense. Even a student who is just beginning the study of defenses should be comfortable working this lesson.
Suspendatur!
This exercise is designed as a review for students taking the basic first year course in criminal law. Suspendatur! (Latin for “let him be hanged”, the final entry in medieval plea rolls in capital cases) is patterned after the familiar game of hangman, in which each wrong answer adds a part to a stick figure on the gibbet. The student must answer multiple choice and true-false questions based on hypothetical situations. Each right or wrong answer provides substantive feedback in what aims to be at least a mildly humorous fashion.
Sources of Criminal Law
This exercise provides an overview of the sources of American substantive criminal law. Particular attention is paid to the Model Penal Code and the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

Online Study Aids

Online Study Aids are accessible within the library. Note that off-campus access requires EZproxy login with your NCCU username and password. For more information visit the Online Study Aid Collections webpage.

Acing Criminal Law
This study aid features an innovative method of content organization. It uses a checklist format to lead students through questions they need to ask to fully evaluate the legal problem they are trying to solve. It also synthesizes the material in a way that most students are unable to do on their own, and assembles the different issues, presenting a clear guide to procedural analysis that students can draw upon when writing their exams. Other study aids provide sample problems, but none offer the systematic approach to problem solving found in this book.
Emanuel Law Outlines for Criminal Law
Any law school graduate will tell you that when picking your outline tool you need to pick the best because your outlines are the most important study tool you will use throughout your law school career. Developed by legendary study aid author Steve Emanuel, Emanuel® Law Outlines (ELOs) are the #1 outline choice among law students. An ELO ensures that you understand the concepts as you learn them in class and helps you study for exams throughout the semester.
Examples & Explanations for Criminal Law
Employing the unique, time-tested Examples & Explanations pedagogy, Examples & Explanations for Criminal Law combines textual material with well-written and comprehensive examples, explanations, and questions to test students’ comprehension of the materials and to provide practice in applying information to fact patterns. The questions, which often raise a variety of issues in one fact situation, are similar to those on a law school or bar examination.
Questions and Answers: Criminal Law
Understand better what you're learning in Criminal Law class and prepare effectively for exams by applying concepts as you learn them. This study guide includes over 180 multiple-choice and short-answer questions arranged topically for ease of use during the semester, plus an additional set of 18 short-answer questions comprising a comprehensive "practice exam."

For each multiple-choice question, Attorney Levine and Professor Marcus provide an answer that indicates which of four options is the best answer and explains thoroughly why that option is better than the other three options. Each short-answer question is designed to be answered in fifteen minutes or less. For these questions, Professor Marcus and Attorney Levine offer a thoughtful, complete, yet brief, model answer.
A Short & Happy Guide to Criminal Law
This book leaves newcomers to criminal law with what they need most: key concepts they can remember! Too many criminal law guides bury the novice in detailed rules when nine times out of ten mastery of the fundamental concepts is the key to success on the exam or in practice. Remembering these concepts is made easier by a “forest before the trees” organization and the use of quirky, often funny examples that stick the concepts to the reader’s memory. Bonus chapters offer valuable tips for students on how to succeed in the study of the law. You’ll laugh and learn.
Understanding Criminal Law
This comprehensive and clearly written Understanding treatise is frequently cited by scholars and courts in their analysis of substantive criminal law, and has been a popular source of assistance to criminal law students for the past quarter century. Understanding Criminal Law is designed to be taught in conjunction with any casebook. The topics covered are those most often raised in criminal law casebooks, and coverage of these subjects is meant to complement professors' classroom discussions. The text focuses on the basic elements of, and defenses to, all crimes; provides in-depth coverage of such crimes as homicide, rape, and theft; and covers other important topics covered in the Criminal Law course, such as accomplice and inchoate liability. Understanding Criminal Law also covers theories of punishment, sources of the criminal law, and overarching principles such as legality and proportionality. The common law is emphasized with extensive comparisons to the Model Penal Code and modern statutes. This edition offers the most significant updating ever, including coverage of quickly-changing legal areas, such as sexual assault and self-defense law. Recent and ongoing revisions to the Model Penal Code are also covered.

Audio Resources

Criminal Law: In Other Words Audio Series
The audio files from the In Other Words series cover fundamental topics in law. Each lecture is written and presented by a law professor or legal practitioner. In these Criminal Law lectures, Kelly Strader gives an Introduction to Criminal Law and covers Murder, Conspiracy, Manslaughter, and Murder and Malice. Kent Kasper covers Accomplice Liability, Defenses, Mens Rea Requirements, and Judge vs. Jury. Ray Chao explains Elements of Rape, Strict Liability Crimes, Attempt - Mens Rea, and Elements of a Crime.
Law School Legends Audio on Criminal Law
This four-hour audio lecture on criminal law is useful for students who are about to take or are currently taking a course in Criminal Law and who want to use it for class review or exam preparation. But it is also useful for anyone, student or not, who would simply like to gain a more informed sense of just what American criminal law is all about. Coverage includes the traditional, foundational doctrines of criminal law like criminal intent and criminal act, discussing these concepts in dealing with crimes like homicide offenses, assault and sexual assault, theft and other property crimes. This lecture also focuses on traditional and modern defenses to criminal charges, like insanity, self defense, and the modern “Stand Your Ground” laws. But just as important as discussion of these crimes and defenses, the lecture also covers some of the most significant structural issues and skills that should be useful to you to figure out how criminal trials work, issues like distinguishing the roles of lawyers, judges, jurors and legislators, and skills like applying criminal statutes to particular cases and analyzing appellate decisions. Some useful tips on studying for and taking Criminal Law exams are included at the end.
Sum and Substance Audio on Criminal Law
This audio lecture overviews the sources and nature of criminal law. Examines the theories of punishment, actus reus, mens rea, mistake of fact, and actual and proximate causation. Also addresses all of the major defenses and the concepts of inchoate and accessory liability. The Sum & Substance Audio Series allows you to assimilate the essentials of the course at your convenience - listen while working, commuting, exercising or just relaxing. The information and ideas you struggled with previously are now brought to life simply and succinctly. The audio lecture provides Quick Reference Indexing, allowing you to quickly locate every topic in the entire recording. Also provided are exam tips to maximize your performance and Lifetime guarantee. These audio lectures are time saving, convenient and effective.

Criminal Law Resources in Print

The resources below are just a few of the many resources available to assist with studying for criminal law. To locate more resources, search the Library's Online Catalog using search terms related to criminal law or subject headings.

Criminal Law in a Nutshell by Arnold H. Loewy
Call Number: KF9219.3 .L63 2009
Gain an overview and develop perspective on the extensive area of criminal law. Organized into eight sections for quick reference. Expert discussion explores punishment, specific crimes, and the ingredients of a crime such as mens rea and actus reus. Features special defenses and the burden of proof. Covers inchoate and group criminality. Also reflects on the limitations of criminal law.
Examples and Explanations: Criminal Law by Richard G. Singer; John Q. La Fond
Call Number: KF9219.3 .S54 2013
ISBN: 9781454815532
Publication Date: 2013-01-09
A favorite among successful students, and often recommended by professors, the unique Examples & Explanations series gives you extremely clear introductions to concepts followed by realistic examples that mirror those presented in the classroom throughout the semester. Use at the beginning and midway through the semester to deepen your understanding through clear explanations, corresponding hypothetical fact patterns, and analysis. Then use to study for finals by reviewing the hypotheticals as well as the structure and reasoning behind the accompanying analysis. Designed to complement your casebook, the trusted Examples & Explanations titles get right to the point in a conversational, often humorous style that helps you learn the material each step of the way and prepare for the exam at the end of the course. The unique, time-tested Examples & Explanations series is invaluable to teach yourself the subject from the first day of class until your last review before the final. Each guide: helps you learn new material by working through chapters that explain each topic in simple language challenges your understanding with hypotheticals similar to those presented in class provides valuable opportunity to study for the final by reviewing the hypotheticals as well as the structure and reasoning behind the corresponding analysis quickly gets to the point in conversational style laced with humor remains a favorite among law school students is often recommended by professors who encourage the use of study guides works with ALL the major casebooks, suits any class on a given topic provides an alternative perspective to help you understand your casebook and in-class lectures
Law in a Flash: Criminal Law by Steven Emanuel
Call Number: KF388 .C74 2010
ISBN: 9780735589995
Study anytime, anywhere! Law in a Flash comprehensive flash cards are ideal for reviewing legal topics point by point. Each card has a concise question on one side and an accurate answer on the reverse side.
Mastering Criminal Law by Ellen S. Podgor; Peter J. Henning; Neil P. Cohen
Call Number: KF9219 .P63 2015
ISBN: 9781611635492
Publication Date: 2015-04-22
Mastering Criminal Law explores the basic principles useful in the study of criminal law, offering real world examples to understand these concepts. It provides a clear and concise consideration of the fundamental structure of a crime including statutory interpretation and sentencing. It has chapters on the typical crimes covered in most criminal law casebooks, namely, homicide, rape, assault and battery, and theft. Additionally, it covers accomplice liability, solicitation, attempt and conspiracy. It also covers defenses, including the right to present a defense. It distinguishes different approaches such as the Common Law and Model Penal Code and provides examples of different state statutes.
Questions & Answers: Criminal Law by Emily Marcus Levine; Paul Marcus
Call Number: KF9219.5 .L485 2012
Understand better what you're learning in Criminal Law class and prepare effectively for exams by applying concepts as you learn them. This study guide includes over 150 multiple-choice and short-answer questions arranged topically for ease of use during the semester, plus an additional set of 16 questions comprising a comprehensive ""practice exam.""
For each multiple-choice question, Attorney Levine and Professor Marcus provide a detailed answer that indicates which of four options is the best answer and explains thoroughly why that option is better than the other three options. Each short-answer question is designed to be answered in fifteen minutes or less. For these questions, Professor Marcus and Attorney Levine provide a thoughtful, comprehensive, yet brief model answer.
Understanding Criminal Law by Joshua Dressler
Call Number: KF9219 .D74 2012
ISBN: 9780769848938
Publication Date: 2012-05-01
This comprehensive and clearly written Understanding treatise is frequently cited by scholars and courts in their analysis of substantive criminal law. Understanding Criminal Law is designed to be taught in conjunction with any casebook. The topics covered are those most often raised in criminal law casebooks, and coverage of these subjects is meant to complement professors' classroom discussions. The text focuses on the basic elements of, and defenses to, specific crimes such as homicide, rape, and theft, group criminality, and inchoate liability. Understanding Criminal Law also covers theories of punishment, sources of the criminal law, and overarching principles such as legality and proportionality. The common law is emphasized with extensive comparisons to the Model Penal Code and thoughtful examination of the underpinnings of the utilitarian philosophies of substantive criminal law. The text of Understanding Criminal Law encourages students to consider the approach these philosophies would take to a particular matter under discussion, thus providing an excellent learning
Criminal Law by Wayne R. LaFave
Call Number: KF9219 .L38 2010
ISBN: 9780314912688
Publication Date: 2010-03-18
Major emphasis is placed on the basic premises of criminal law, including its sources and general limitations. This Hornbook provides detailed discussion on the topics of responsibility, justification and excuse, inchoate crimes, accomplice, and liability. Attention is also given to subjects such as causation, insanity, and conspiracy.