James Strazzella - Temple University School of Law

Professor: James Strazzella

Department: TBD

College: Temple University School of Law

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: JUDO0410
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Great professor who cared about all of his students. Class seems confusing at first, but (should) all click towards the end. Great guy, excellent class, low stress in the classroom.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CRIM1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Strazzella is an old-school Socratic law prof. His in-class method can be frustrating at times, but he genuinely tries to get students to think beyond the black letter law and about more complex issues. Also, he's very friendly and helpful in office hours and loves meeting with students.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CRIMLAW01
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Strazzella is an extremely frustrating professor. His rambling lectures are often incoherent to understand and his main point is often lost. Confusing to say the least. Teach yourself because his lectures are horrible. Positive note, although he is very socratic, he did not cold call in our class. Just read and brief cases during class instead.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: JUDO0410
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Classic, old-school law professor. You will have to teach yourself in this class more than any other you will take your first semester, but that's what you will be doing throughout your legal career. That said, it's not a hard A. If you have the book, read it and can remember it, you will do fine. Strazz is great, and helpful in office hours.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CRIMPRO
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

His way or the highway

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CRIM101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He is "fair." The positives: he cares very deeply about his students and is more than willing to help IF YOU ASK. Also, his course focuses on learning theory behind BLL, but will test your ability to apply BLL. Negatives: you will be confused for the first month. Very Socratic; very little teaching-you will need to teach yourself.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: 10110A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Great Professor. Cares deeply. I was scared/didnt like his teaching style initially. With the benefit of hindsight, I couldn't have had a better teacher.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CRIM1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Just the worst.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CRIMLAW
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Plain and simple - this guy is a terrible teacher. He might have been a great attorney, but he's the worst I've ever had. Save yourself the unnecessary trouble and take Crim with a teacher who is willing to actually explain the material.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CRIMPRO1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Great professor, one of the best a Temple. He expects you to have done the reading and know the material. He asks you to take the caselaw and apply it to the real world. He really cares about his students and goes out of his way to help them...if they seek it.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CRIM1001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Great, great prof. He cares for his students more than any professor I've taken, law school or otherwise. I spent hours in his office my first semester, and he was always willing to help more. Straz taught me more than criminal law; he taught me how to think like a lawyer.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CMPRO1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He's tough. You absolutely need to be prepared for class, but he forces you to take this one situation and rule in the book and apply it to what would happen in the real world and how you deal with it. Seems like kids can take him or leave him, but he definitely cares about teaching and engaging in dialog with his students.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CRIM1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

The best professor at Temple Law, and probably the only one that teaches you how to think like a lawyer. If you can do well with Strazz, you can take anything the profession throws at you.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CRIMP2
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Where to begin? Actually, that is a summation of his entire CrimPro course. If you listen to your professor, don't take Strazz. If you do take him, brief cases through the class - you'll do much better.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PRO001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Super nice guy, but incomprehensible as a professor. Everything I learned about Criminal Procedure I thought myself.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CPRO1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Superb teacher. Very theoretical, but if you read the cases and actually try to understand what's going on you will learn the material.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CRIM1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

High stress class for first year, first semester. Goes over the smallest details, which as 1L's, doesn't help you to see the bigger picture. Not a good teacher, in my opinion. Test was fair based on his teaching style.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CRIMLAW2
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Straz is a champ. If you're interested in learning criminal law inside and out, you cannot do better.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CRIM1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Many people complain that he is tough to follow in class.. its simple stop trying to type every word in your computer.. step back, listen and think. every thing he says has a purpose behind it. Yes, he expects much from his student but he is easily the best professor I've had to date.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CRIM003
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He was one of the best teachers I have ever had. I was dissapointed with my grade but it was my fault. I have never had a teacher care more about the education of his class. Tell whoever was scared of him that they should pick another profession. I would take him again in a heart beat