College of Law
1000 E. University Ave., Dept. 3035
Laramie, WY 82071
Phone: 307-766-6416
Fax: 307-766-6417
Email: lawadmis@uwyo.edu
Course Number: 6600
Professor: TBD
Credit Hours & Type of Credit: 3
Semester Offered: Varies
Required: No
Prerequisites: Students must have completed their first year of law school.
Recommended Courses: None
Course Overview: The consumer protection course covers three main topics: (1) the law of advertising and marketing; (2) consumer credit regulation; and (3) consumer warranty law.
This is an exciting area to study because of the continuing onslaught of new issues, with corresponding policy responses. Some of the new developments that will be covered are: federal credit card legislation, and creation of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; Internet commerce online contracts, and consumer protection; debt collection; subprime mortgage and foreclosure crisis; consumer privacy and credit reports; auto leasing; pay-day loans; loan "flipping" and predatory lending; identity theft; Spam and Do-Not-Call list for telemarketing, and consumer arbitration.
We will cover the basic consumer protection mission of the Federal Trade Commission and the State Attorneys General. We will discuss federal Truth in Lending regulations, Equal Credit Opportunity, Fair Credit Reporting and identity theft, UCC warranties, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, and new car "lemon" laws.
Course Materials: We will use the brand-new 4th edition of my casebook and the 2013 edition of Selected
Consumer Statutes. You will be exposed to the very latest development. See the current
Book List located under Courses and Curriculum.
Course Format: Lecture/discussion
Written Assignments: One 5-page take home mid-term assignment required. 15-20 page research paper optional
in lieu of final exam.
Type of Exam: Two hour final, 1/2 essay,1/2 multiple choice.
Basis for Grading Student Performance: This course features a traditional end of semester exam but also allows students
to choose to "opt out" of the final exam by writing a15-20-page research paper on
a topic of their choice. The grade is based 25% on class participation. 25% of the
grade will be based on a 5-page take-home assignment. This will be graded and returned
prior to the end of the semester. 50% of the grade will be based on either the final
exam or a 15-20 page research paper. The research paper can be used to fulfill the
upper class writing requirement.
Other Comments:This is a critically important course because we are all consumers in a time of economic
trouble. Some of you may use this knowledge either for yourselves or for consumer
or business clients. It is also a good basic course for those planning a general,
business oriented practice because consumer protection laws affect any business that
deals with consumers. The course combines administrative law topics, federal and state
statutes and regulations, first amendment and common law. Students will also be asked
to attend some part of the annual Consumer Issues Conference at the Wyoming Union
in lieu of one class session. This year’s topic will be “Navigating the New Healthcare
Market, held October 2 - 4."
College of Law
1000 E. University Ave., Dept. 3035
Laramie, WY 82071
Phone: 307-766-6416
Fax: 307-766-6417
Email: lawadmis@uwyo.edu