Course Details

Clinic: Civil Rights Litigation

The Civil Rights Litigation Clinic, taught by the professors in the MacArthur Justice Center, litigates cases aimed at challenging injustices in the criminal legal system. The Clinic is involved in significant civil rights matters in Illinois and across the country, including: promoting the rights of transgender prisoners, protecting immigrant communities from unlawful targeting by the federal government, class action challenges to unlawful parole systems, ending incommunicado detention in police stations, enforcement of protesters’ rights, challenges to solitary confinement, ensuring prisoners’ protection from harm, and challenges to excessive use of force by law enforcement. Students will have the opportunity to support clients, engage in community coalition-building relating to MJC’s advocacy work, and participate in various stages of complex civil litigation, including investigation, written and oral discovery, motion practice, expert discovery, and hearing and trial preparation.

Catalog Number: LITARB 721
Practice Areas: Criminal Law Practice Area ,  Legal Skills Development
Additional Course Information: Appellate Law Conc, Experiential Learning, Lit/Arb Concentration Elective

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Course History

Fall 2025
Title: Clinic: Civil Rights Litigation
Faculty: Manes, Jonathan (courses | profile)
Van Brunt, Alexa (courses | profile)
Section: 1     Credits: 4.0
Capacity: 12     Actual: 12

Spring 2025
Title: Clinic: Civil Rights Litigation
Faculty: Van Brunt, Alexa (courses | profile)
Section: 1     Credits: 4.0
Capacity: 4     Actual: 4

Fall 2024
Title: Clinic: Civil Rights Litigation
Faculty:
Section: 1     Credits: 4.0
Capacity: 8     Actual: 8

Spring 2024
Title: Clinic: Civil Rights Litigation
Faculty: Van Brunt, Alexa (courses | profile)
Section: 1     Credits: 4.0
Capacity: 8     Actual: 8

Fall 2023
Title: Clinic: Civil Rights Litigation
Faculty:
Van Brunt, Alexa (courses | profile)
Section: 1     Credits: 4.0
Capacity: 8     Actual: 8