The Greatest Criminal Case

1. The term paper must be 5-7 pages, typed, double-spaced, using a Times Roman 10 or 12-point font
with no cover page in a Microsoft Windows format. Please leave one-inch margins on each side so that I
will have room to make comments. I want your thoughts on the subject, so write the paper in your own
words. It is not necessary to perform outside research. Do not make this a “Wikipedia data dump.” It
is a critical essay based on your original thoughts and words.

2. You can access the .pdf file for The Greatest Criminal Case on D2L/Brightspace. Note: This is a
rough draft of the manuscript (with typographical errors and unedited sentences as well as a missing
index), but nonetheless it should be readable. Alternatively, a student may purchase the final book at
this site: http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Criminal-Cases-Changing-
American/dp/1440828687/ref=la_B001IZ1BGS_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447707980&sr=1-7.

3. Your term paper should present a clear, convincing argument supported by appropriate evidence.
Accordingly, the paper should work toward a decisive conclusion. Moreover, do not simply list bullet
points as though you were writing an examination; your response must be written as a critical essay.

4. Although this is not a class on composition and grammar, part of your grade on the term paper will
depend on your use of correctly spelled and punctuated English.

5. Your term paper is due no later than December 5, 2015, at 5:00 p.m. I will not accept a late
paper. Please submit the term paper by the deadline via the D2L/Brightspace dropbox.

TOPIC

We have been studying the American legal system in recent weeks, especially the role of the
U.S. Supreme Court in interpreting the U.S. Constitution. The book The Greatest Criminal Cases:
Changing the Course of American Law discusses some of the most important U.S. Supreme Court cases in
American legal history. You should select one chapter—either Chapter 6, Chapter 7, or Chapter 8—and
analyze the chapter using course themes. Briefly summarize the facts of the case and explain what
happened. What does this chapter teach us about the American legal system in general and the U.S.
Supreme Court in particular?