Law s Stories: A Creative Nonfiction W

In this class, we will examine nonfiction accounts of legal events that draw on techniques often associated with literature to convey their meaning. Such “creative” or “literary” nonfiction offers a view of law very different from that to be found in statutes, judicial opinions, or legal doctrines: a view based in face-to-face encounters (in the streets, in police precincts, in courtrooms, in prisons); and in the lived experience of those who come before the law. Practitioners often describe creative nonfiction as “true stories, well told.” We will ask what we learn about law from such stories and how it differs from what we learn from other kinds of legal writing. At the same time, we will read these texts closely to understand how they represent what they represent: how they use narrative form, characterization, sentence structure, rhetorical devices, diction (and more) to convey meaning, generate emotion, and generally achieve their effects. We will ask why writers might choose to use literary techniques to write nonfiction, and discuss the ethical issues the genre raises, particularly when it treats legal subjects. At the same time, the course will serve as a workshop for developing your own writing about law: engaging in research; writing daily; and generally honing your craft as a writer in a supportive and thoughtful community.

Application instructions: Please email Professor Peters the following: name, school, year, major; a few sentences about why you’d like to take the course; and a list of the most relevant courses you’ve taken. Feel free to note any first-hand experience with law you’ve had (not required!) Please also attach a short piece representing your writing at its best: a piece whose first few sentences show the quality of your writing (fiction or nonfiction on any topic, no minimum or maximum length)!