Plagiarism

Problems throughout the nation's law schools prompted the Legal Writing Institute to appoint a committee to investigate plagiarism policies and, if necessary, to create and disseminate a suggested policy. The committee contacted all ABA schools, and more than 120 schools submitted their policies, with comments and anonymous case histories.

The committee discovered:

• many schools mention plagiarism only in a general Honor Code
• plagiarism definitions are inconsistent and even contradictory from school to school, and
• plagiarism penalties are inconsistent and contradictory from school to school.

Thus, the committee created a policy brochure that schools can modify to suit their faculty and student needs.

Plagiarism Brochure Download Here

Please note:  This brochure is in the process of being updated.

A thorough discussion of the committee's findings and recommendations can be found in Terri LeClercq's Failure to Teach: Due Process and Law School Plagiarism, 49 J. Leg. Educ. 236 (1999).

Additional Resources Can Be Found below