Misha, Gretchen, and Sam were stranded on a mountainside after their plane went down in a snow storm. They had no means of radio communication and virtually no food or other supplies. After 18 days, Misha and Gretchen killed Sam, the weakest survivor

Misha and Gretchen ate Sam. This allowed them to survive until they were rescued. After they were rescued, they were charged with premeditated first degree murder under the relevant state statute. Discuss the three schools of jurisprudence and how each would influence a finding of guilt or innocence for the three charged.

The three theories of jurisprudence are legal positivism, natural law, and legal realism. The legal positivism would say the law is the law. Therefore Misha and Gretchen are guilty and must pay the consequences of the state statute. The natural law supporter would argue that in this instance the law is unjust and need not be obeyed because of the desperate circumstances. The legal realists would argue that the case will be influenced by the judges' and jury's income, education, family background, race, religion, and other factors which they bring to the case.