Since the inception of the Internet, the laws governing its use have been vague and hard to identify.
As the legal system struggles to pin down its authority, Bill Mark wants to keep Western Nevada Community College students up-to-date with his new class Ñ Cyberlaw: A survey of the law governing the Internet.
"It's a highly fascinating and quickly developing area of law," Mark said. "It's so new, the textbooks that have been put out are already out-of-date."
Mark works as a clerk for Nevada Supreme Court Justice Bob Rose and keeps abreast of legal issues facing the Internet through research.
As regulations change, Mark hopes to change the class along with it.
"I'm going to keep the curriculum flexible so assigned material may be updated on a weekly basis," he said. Students will also be asked to choose a theme and develop a Web site.
"The course will be informative, but more importantly, fun," Mark said. "I have a few ideas for creating an Internet-based business and enjoy brainstorming entrepreneurial ideas with others. I will reserve class time for the discussion of business ideas and the possible legal implications they might raise."
The class will also offer an overview for students interested in pursuing a career in law.
"Studying cyberspace law is going to give students a solid overview of many areas of the law," he said. 'It's going to be a holistic approach to law in general within the brand new Internet medium."
Mark, who has a law degree and worked as a corporate attorney for a fiber optic communications company, also teaches business law and real estate law classes.
"I see education as something fundamental, something jugular, to our society," he said. "I love learning and I love teaching."
Mark plans to recruit Supreme Court staff attorney Dan McConnell to team teach the class with him.
More information about the course can be found at www.wncc.nevada.edu/~wmark/. Class begins Aug. 27 and will be held Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:15 p.m.
To enroll in this or another class at WNCC, log onto www.wncc.nevada.edu. Registering as a student, enrolling in specific classes, and paying fees by credit card can all be done online. For help with registration, call 445-3277.
Classes begin Aug. 27.