lol This line was definitely, to use DW’s term, a “proto-Susan.” I can’t resist good brownies.

I agree with what you said about the training to “think like lawyers,” removing emotion and replacing it with analysis of the situation or case. I also think that given the same books and tools as law students have, people with a real drive to learn about the law process and how it works could have that same kind of training.

The reason I believe it is so important that more people have access to knowledge about the law is the headlines over the last year or more about the occurrence of wrongful convictions — and later exonerations — and the devastating effect they have, on the people wrongly convicted and on the criminal justice system as a whole. The Duke University case in NC was a very near miss of that same kind of tragedy. It was only avoided because the three accused players were able to hire some of the “top guns” of criminal defense expertise. If their parents hadn’t had the funds to hire the lawyers they had, the odds are very high that three more wrongful convictions would have happened.

Sorry, I’m digressing. I just wish everyone who wanted to learn the basics of law, enough to be able to effectively represent themselves in a criminal court if necessary, was able to do so, whether they had the ability to pay or not. I don’t believe that receiving real justice in the criminal courts should be a privilege for the rich only, and right now, it does seem to me that is too often the case.

She needs an appointment to the Fifth Circuit. I would have agreed with you, but I had the image of one of my kids making that same statement.

Despite the fact that I invariably agree with your well-reasoned views, I must respectfully disagree. My favorite review of the field trip is:

“My Name is Gillian and I’m 11. I like soccer and I have 2 dogs. One is 4lbs and her name is Peanut. The other is 25lbs and his name is Teddy. They are both lhaso Apso Poodles (mutts). I have blond hair and freckles across my nose. Last I have 2 sisters and 1 brother.”

There is something terribly profound in this totally unconnected thought.

The value of a legal education IMHO is the training to “think like lawyers.” The process compels you to remove all emotion, and simply analyze the situation coolly and dispassionately, using rules gleaned from years of practical application. The basic path is: identification of the issue (usually the hardest part); determination of the applicable rule or law; analysis of the facts in view of the law; and conclusion. By far the least important part is the conclusion since most legal analysis changes over time as circumstances change. I think everyone could benefit from learning how to think this way.

I think that is a great idea!

Jill

P.S. Quit drinking all that caffine. Your statements always make sense!

I wish more people could be exposed to the basic principles of law in the same way you and your team at GW Law School educated these elementary youngsters. And I mean people of all ages, who are interested in learning as much as possible. While not all of them would become lawyers, it might help them get a much better understanding of the law than they have now.

Right now, too many of us don’t have even a remote grasp of how the law works, let alone a complete one. Personally, and others may strongly disagree with me, I think every person should have a basic course of law included in their education somewhere. I honestly don’t see how a basic course in law could hurt anyone.

This was really great. Those kids are awesome!

“It really got me interested in law, even though my dads a layer and has already pressured me enough to become one as well.”

After all the sturm und drang of the last few days, this is a welcome re-assurance that our species has some redeeming value!

You can see from the comments above that our cognitive styles are formed fairly early! I saw proto-Pattys, proto-DW’s, proto-Turleys, proto-Mespos,proto-Jays, Proto-Susans, etc. in the munchkin’s thinking and writing.

My proto-DW was comment 29. I will leave my other assignments a secret!

For the professor, the comment about the dad having been one of your students must have given you a small moment of happiness.