Law, JD (Online)
Degree: Juris Doctor (JD)
Case Western Reserve offers an online JD program, which allows students to enroll on a part-time basis and earn a JD degree after 4.5 years of enrollment.
Our program allows for remote classroom experiences and a few opportunities for optional in-person residencies throughout the program.
For more information about the online program, please visit the School of Law JD Admission webpage.
Program Requirements
The JD degree requires successful completion of 88 credit hours, of which 44 credit hours are in specified required courses, at least 2 credit hours in the writing of a substantial research paper, at least 12 credit hours of experiential learning experiences (including a required capstone experience completed during the final year) and at least 34 credit hours of electives.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Initial Courses | 29-30 | |
| Contracts | ||
| Criminal Law | ||
| Torts | ||
| Civil Procedure | ||
| Property | ||
| Law, Legislation and Regulation | ||
| Legal Writing, Leadership, Experiential Learning, Advocacy, and Professionalism 1 | ||
| Legal Writing, Leadership, Experiential Learning, Advocacy, and Professionalism 2 | ||
Choice of one or two one-credit 1L elective courses | ||
| Required Upper Level Courses | 24-25 | |
| Professional Responsibility | ||
| Constitutional Law I | ||
| Legal Writing, Leadership, Experiential Learning, Advocacy, and Professionalism 3: Advanced Skills | ||
Completion of substantial research paper | ||
Experiential learning credits (includes experiential capstone project during 3L year) | ||
| General Education Electives (Choose at least four of the following courses) | 16-19 | |
| Business Associations | ||
| Sales | ||
| Evidence | ||
| Wills, Trusts, and Future Interests | ||
| Secured Transactions | ||
| Conflict of Laws | ||
| Constitutional Law II | ||
| Criminal Procedure II | ||
| Family Law | ||
| Concentration Requirements (see below) | 15-18 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 88 | |
General Education Requirement
All candidates for the Juris Doctor must satisfy a General Education Requirement in order to qualify for graduation. This requirement consists of upper-level doctrinal courses that are tested on the Bar Exam. To satisfy this requirement, a student must enroll in and earn credit for at least four of the following nine courses:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LAWS 4401 | Business Associations | 4 |
| LAWS 4404 | Sales | 3 |
| LAWS 4808 | Evidence | 4 |
| LAWS 4809 | Wills, Trusts, and Future Interests | 3 - 4 |
| LAWS 5434 | Secured Transactions | 3 |
| LAWS 5716 | Conflict of Laws | 2 |
| LAWS 5717 | Constitutional Law II | 3 |
| LAWS 5718 | Criminal Procedure II | 2 |
| LAWS 5730 | Family Law | 3 |
Concentration Requirements
Business Law
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| LAWS 4401 | Business Associations | 4 |
| LAWS 5431 | Securities Regulation | 3 |
| Elective Courses: | ||
| Choose at least two of the following: | ||
| LAWS 4404 | Sales | 3 |
| LAWS 4406 | Franchise Law | 1 |
| LAWS 5115 | International Arbitration | 2 |
| LAWS 5120 | International Business Transactions | 3 |
| LAWS 5401 | International Tax | 3 |
| LAWS 5403 | Federal Taxation of Corporation and Partnerships | 3 |
| LAWS 5412 | Advanced Securities Regulation | 3 |
| LAWS 5413 | Antitrust Law | 3 |
| LAWS 5415 | Bankruptcy | 3 |
| LAWS 5420 | ERISA | 4 |
| LAWS 5422 | Financial Markets: Law, Theory, and Practice | 2 |
| LAWS 5427 | Mergers and Acquisitions | 3 |
| LAWS 5432 | Business and Law Colloquium | 3 |
| LAWS 5434 | Secured Transactions | 3 |
| LAWS 5436 | Financial Institutions Regulation | 3 |
| LAWS 5439 | Corporate Finance | 3 |
| LAWS 5724 | Discrimination in Employment | 3 |
| LAWS 5763 | White Collar Crime: Prosecution and Defense | 2 |
| LAWS 5764 | Workers' Compensation | 2 |
Criminal Law
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| LAWS 4807 | Criminal Procedure I | 3 |
| LAWS 4808 | Evidence | 4 |
| LAWS 5718 | Criminal Procedure II | 2 |
| Elective Courses: | ||
| Choose at least three of the following: | ||
| LAWS 5113 | Counterterrorism Law | 3 |
| LAWS 5118 | International Law Research Lab | 3 |
| LAWS 5121 | International Criminal Law and Procedure | 3 |
| LAWS 5213 | Psychiatry and Law | 2 |
| LAWS 5720 | Death Penalty Law and Process | 2 |
| LAWS 5721 | Death Penalty Lab | 3 |
| LAWS 5722 | Death Penalty Lab II | 2 |
| LAWS 5736 | Juvenile Law | 2 |
| LAWS 5749 | Prisoner Rights & Litigation | 3 |
| LAWS 5760 | The Wire and the War on Drugs | 3 |
| LAWS 5763 | White Collar Crime: Prosecution and Defense | 2 |
| LAWS 6108 | Pretrial Practice: Criminal | 2 |
| LAWS 6110 | Trial Tactics | 4 |
Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| LAWS 2803 | Legal Writing, Leadership, Experiential Learning, Advocacy, and Professionalism 3: Advanced Skills (Litigation section) | 3 |
| LAWS 4808 | Evidence | 4 |
| LAWS 5707 | Alternative Dispute Resolution | 3 |
| Elective Courses: | ||
| Choose at least three of the following: a | ||
| LAWS 4806 | Administrative Law | 3 |
| LAWS 5115 | International Arbitration | 2 |
| LAWS 5213 | Psychiatry and Law | 2 |
| LAWS 5335 | Negotiation Strategies in Sports Management | 2 - 3 |
| LAWS 5716 | Conflict of Laws | 2 |
| LAWS 5724 | Discrimination in Employment | 3 |
| LAWS 5726 | Employment Law | 3 |
| LAWS 5731 | Federal Courts | 3 |
| LAWS 5733 | Immigration Law | 2 |
| LAWS 5734 | Immigration Law II | 1 |
| Practice-oriented electives | ||
| LAWS 5744 | Mediation Representation: Theory, Principle and Practice | 3 |
| LAWS 6103 | Basic Mediation Training | 1 |
| LAWS 6107 | Pretrial Practice: Civil | 2 |
| LAWS 6110 | Trial Tactics | 4 |
| LAWS 6111 | Appellate Practice | 2 |
- a
Choose at least one practice-oriented elective.
Health Law
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| LAWS 4201 | Health Law | 3 |
| LAWS 5218 | Health Care Organizations, Finance, and Regulation | 3 |
| Elective Courses: | ||
| Choose at least three of the following: | ||
| LAWS 4402 | Nonprofit Organizations Law | 2 |
| LAWS 4806 | Administrative Law | 3 |
| LAWS 5205 | Public Health Law | 2 |
| LAWS 5213 | Psychiatry and Law | 2 |
| LAWS 5215 | Health Care and Human Rights | 2 |
| LAWS 5220 | Health Care Controversies | 2 |
| LAWS 5229 | Information Privacy Law | 1 |
| LAWS 5268 | Health Law and Policy Lab | 3 |
| LAWS 5339 | Privacy Law | 3 |
| LAWS 5413 | Antitrust Law | 3 |
| LAWS 5420 | ERISA | 4 |
| LAWS 5724 | Discrimination in Employment | 3 |
| LAWS 5764 | Workers' Compensation | 2 |
| LAWS 5918 | Reproductive Rights | 3 |
| LAWS 6503 | Health Matrix Seminar | 2 |
International Law
There are a number of different focus areas available within the International Law concentration. Listed below are general requirements. Students should consult with the concentration advisor for details about different focus options.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| LAWS 4101 | International Law | 3 |
| Elective Courses: a | ||
| LAWS 5111 | Admiralty Law | 2 |
| LAWS 5113 | Counterterrorism Law | 3 |
| LAWS 5115 | International Arbitration | 2 |
| LAWS 5116 | International Human Rights | 3 |
| LAWS 5118 | International Law Research Lab | 3 |
| LAWS 5120 | International Business Transactions | 3 |
| LAWS 5121 | International Criminal Law and Procedure | 3 |
| LAWS 5123 | Trade Law | 3 |
| LAWS 5135 | War and Morality | 3 |
| LAWS 5136 | International Humanitarian Law | 1 |
| LAWS 5215 | Health Care and Human Rights | 2 |
| LAWS 5314 | Cyberlaw | 3 |
| LAWS 5319 | International Intellectual Property | 3 |
| LAWS 5436 | Financial Institutions Regulation | 3 |
| LAWS 5705 | International & US Family Law | 3 |
| LAWS 5716 | Conflict of Laws | 2 |
| LAWS 5734 | Immigration Law II | 1 |
| LAWS 5739 | Law of Archeological Relics | 2 |
| LAWS 5745 | Foreign Affairs Law | 3 |
| LAWS 6051 | Civil Rights, Human Rights, and Immigration Clinic | 4 |
- a
Choose at least one course in Business law, and one course in Public/Comparative law.
Law, Technology, and the Arts
There are a number of different focus areas available within this concentration. Listed below are general requirements. Students should consult with the concentration advisor for details about different focus options.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| LAWS 4300 | Intellectual Property Survey | 3 |
| LAWS 4301 | Copyright Law | 3 |
| LAWS 4303 | Trademark Law | 3 |
| Elective Courses: | ||
| Choose at least three of the following: | ||
| LAWS 5314 | Cyberlaw | 3 |
| LAWS 5319 | International Intellectual Property | 3 |
| LAWS 5324 | Law of the Music Industry | 2 |
| LAWS 5332 | Sports Law | 1 |
| LAWS 5333 | Representing the Professional Athlete | 2 - 3 |
| LAWS 5335 | Negotiation Strategies in Sports Management | 2 - 3 |
| LAWS 5739 | Law of Archeological Relics | 2 |
Public Interest Law
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| LAWS 5717 | Constitutional Law II | 3 |
| LAWS 5731 | Federal Courts | 3 |
| Elective Courses: | ||
| Choose at least two of the following: | ||
| LAWS 4806 | Administrative Law | 3 |
| LAWS 5116 | International Human Rights | 3 |
| LAWS 5215 | Health Care and Human Rights | 2 |
| LAWS 5711 | Civil Rights | 3 |
| LAWS 5724 | Discrimination in Employment | 3 |
| LAWS 5725 | Education Law | 3 |
| LAWS 5727 | Environmental Law | 3 |
| LAWS 5736 | Juvenile Law | 2 |
| LAWS 5737 | Labor Law | 3 |
| LAWS 5749 | Prisoner Rights & Litigation | 3 |
| LAWS 5755 | LGBT Legal Issues | 3 |
| LAWS 5908 | Public Law Research Seminar | 2 |
| LAWS 5918 | Reproductive Rights | 3 |
Sample Plan of Study
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| LAWS 1103 | Torts | 4 |
| LAWS 1801 | Legal Writing, Leadership, Experiential Learning, Advocacy, and Professionalism 1 | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 7 | |
| Spring | ||
| LAWS 1203 | Property | 4 |
| LAWS 1802 | Legal Writing, Leadership, Experiential Learning, Advocacy, and Professionalism 2 | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 7 | |
| Summer | ||
| LAWS 1102 | Criminal Law | 3 |
| LAWS 2001 | Professional Responsibility | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| LAWS 1101 | Contracts | 4 |
| LAWS 2002 | Constitutional Law I | 4 |
| Credit Hours | 8 | |
| Spring | ||
| LAWS 1201 | Civil Procedure | 4 |
| LAWS 1204 | Law, Legislation and Regulation | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 7 | |
| Summer | ||
| LAWS 4808 | Evidence | 4 |
| Elective | 2 | |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| LAWS 2803 | Legal Writing, Leadership, Experiential Learning, Advocacy, and Professionalism 3: Advanced Skills | 3 |
| LAWS 4809 | Wills, Trusts, and Future Interests | 4 |
| Credit Hours | 7 | |
| Spring | ||
| LAWS 4401 | Business Associations | 4 |
| LAWS 4404 | Sales | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 7 | |
| Summer | ||
| LAWS 5434 | Secured Transactions | 3 |
| Externship | 4 | |
| Credit Hours | 7 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credit Hours | 7 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credit Hours | 7 | |
| Summer | ||
| Elective | 3 | |
| Externship | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Fifth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Capstone | 6 | |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 88 | |