| Lydia D. Johnson |
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| Assistant Professor of Law - Clinic |
 |
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| Phone:(713) 313-7004 |
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| Email:
lydjohnson@tmslaw.tsu.edu |
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| Joined the faculty in 2011. |
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| |
|
Course Syllabi and Information
Clinic/Criminal Trial Practice/902
The immigration, civil, and criminal trial practice courses work in
conjunction with Thurgood Marshall School of Law’s Clinical Legal
Studies Program. Students who enroll in: (a) administrative law
clinic must enroll in administrative trial practice; (b) civil law
clinic or civil externship must enroll in civil trial practice; (c)
criminal law clinic or criminal externship must enroll in criminal
trial practice; (d) judicial externship may enroll in civil trial
practice. In these courses, students will examine how lawyers,
litigants, and government officials interact in investigations,
litigation, and appeals. Students will develop legal skills,
including but not limited to:
- Client interviewing
- Investigation of cases
- Drafting of pleadings
- Pretrial motion practice
- Advocacy techniques
Syllabus for Criminal Trial Practice
Clinic/Criminal Law Externship/907
This clinic introduces the student to two practical
application concepts: first, students walk through the anatomy of a
criminal case in the classroom component and second, students are
placed in a local prosecutor’s office to work as an intern and learn
from observation and experience. The classroom component introduces
the student to the practical application of Texas Criminal Procedure
from arrest to the disposition of a case. Students participate,
experience and are exposed to search and arrest warrants,
indictments and complaints, tangible evidence, pre-trial arguments,
hearings, and pleas. Additionally, students are involved in
extensive criminal litigation and may actually perform voir dire,
opening statements, cross-examination, direct examination, or
closing statements in a trial. The placement component will assign
students to a prosecutor to be trained in the art of prosecutorial
advocacy. The student is required to work at their placement site
for one hundred and twenty (120) hours during the semester under the
supervision of an attorney for the agency. Prior to registering for
this clinic, students must submit an application, be interviewed by
the clinical instructor and receive an approval by the Director.
Syllabus for Criminal Law Externship
Clinic/Criminal Law Clinic/960
The Criminal Law Clinic is operated as an in-house
live-client clinic. A full-time clinical instructor/staff attorney
will supervise students participating in this clinic. This clinic
presents students with an opportunity to acquire valuable and
practical experience in the area of criminal and juvenile law. The
course assists in developing skills in the areas of client
interviewing, investigative techniques, drafting of criminal law
pleadings, pre-trial motion practice, plea negotiations, courtroom
presentation, and trial and oral advocacy skills. Student may be
presented with the opportunity of a trial. Students completing this
course must demonstrate competency in handling misdemeanor criminal
and juvenile law related cases from the initial client interview
through court proceedings. Prior to registering for this clinic,
students must submit an application, be interviewed by the clinical
instructor and receive an approval by the Director.
Syllabus for Criminal Law Clinic
