Will the Center Hold? Part I (of II)
Mondays: February 10 and 17, 1:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Bethany Congregational Church 556 N. Hope Avenue, Santa Barbara
VISTAS member price for EACH of two parts: $30; non-member price: $45
Presented by Stan Roden
The central theme of these two separate courses (NOTE: participants may enroll in either Part I or Part II, or both) will be to examine and discuss pending or recently decided major legal cases involving constitutional rights, civil and human rights, and the environment. The course will begin with two premises: (a) Few people understand the enormous power of “common law judges,” and (b) Many people believe that the US legal system is beyond their comprehension, which it is not. These classes will pinpoint cases in the trial and appellate courts (mostly federal, but states also) and examine the judicial decision-making process and approaches used by the judges and justices on a variety of legal challenges, with special emphasis on core constitutional and environmental issues.