8/31/2024 6:29:07 PM |
| Changed Course |
CATALOG INFORMATION
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Discipline and Nbr:
PLS 51 | Title:
LEGAL RESEARCH |
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Full Title:
Legal Research |
Last Reviewed:2/28/2022 |
Units | Course Hours per Week | | Nbr of Weeks | Course Hours Total |
Maximum | 3.00 | Lecture Scheduled | 3.00 | 17.5 max. | Lecture Scheduled | 52.50 |
Minimum | 3.00 | Lab Scheduled | 0 | 6 min. | Lab Scheduled | 0 |
| Contact DHR | 0 | | Contact DHR | 0 |
| Contact Total | 3.00 | | Contact Total | 52.50 |
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| Non-contact DHR | 0 | | Non-contact DHR Total | 0 |
| Total Out of Class Hours: 105.00 | Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50 | |
Title 5 Category:
AA Degree Applicable
Grading:
Grade Only
Repeatability:
00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As:
Formerly:
Catalog Description:
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This course will acquaint students with procedural and substantive law; statutes, cases, codes and regulations; and how to find the law through legal encyclopedias, digests, and other resource materials. Citation format, basic case analysis, and Shepardizing are emphasized. Once experience is developed in locating information, students will analyze material, brief cases, and prepare research memoranda. Assignments and activities require extensive online or in person law library time.
Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Course Completion or Current Enrollment in PLS 50
Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Limits on Enrollment:
Schedule of Classes Information
Description:
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This course will acquaint students with procedural and substantive law; statutes, cases, codes and regulations; and how to find the law through legal encyclopedias, digests, and other resource materials. Citation format, basic case analysis, and Shepardizing are emphasized. Once experience is developed in locating information, students will analyze material, brief cases, and prepare research memoranda. Assignments and activities require extensive online law library time.
(Grade Only)
Prerequisites:Course Completion or Current Enrollment in PLS 50
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION
Associate Degree: | Effective: | | Inactive: | |
Area: | | |
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CSU GE: | Transfer Area | | Effective: | Inactive: |
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IGETC: | Transfer Area | | Effective: | Inactive: |
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CSU Transfer: | Transferable | Effective: | Spring 2010 | Inactive: | |
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UC Transfer: | | Effective: | | Inactive: | |
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C-ID: |
Certificate/Major Applicable:
Major Applicable Course
COURSE CONTENT
Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
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1. Locate both procedural and substantive law through primary and secondary resources
2. Use the Internet to search for legal resources
3. Prepare documents such as case briefs and legal office memoranda, citing statutory and case law
Objectives:
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At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
1. Describe federal and California court structures
2. Differentiate between primary and secondary resources
3. Differentiate between substantive and procedural law
4. Discuss state and local rules
5. Locate various treatises containing civil and/or criminal pleadings
6. Search for legal internet resources
7. Analyze cases, shepardize, compose case briefs, and draft legal office memoranda
Topics and Scope
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I. Overview of Court Structures
A. Federal court
1. Supreme court
2. Appellate court
3. Trial court
B. State court
1. Superior court
2. Appellate court
3. Trial court
II. Primary and Secondary Resources
A. Codes and statutes
B. Case law
C. Constitutional law
D. Secondary resources
1. Treatises
2. Legal encyclopedias
3. Practice guides
III. Research the Law by Topic
A. Procedural
B. Substantive
IV. Court Rules
A. State
B. Local
V. How to Locate Boilerplate Pleadings, Agreements, and Letters
A. Civil/family
B. Criminal
VI. Locating Legal Information on the Internet
A. California codes
B. Federal statutes
C. Court rules
D. Forms
E. Case law
F. Shepardizing case law
VII. Case Briefs
A. Overview of case analysis and briefing
B. Outline of document
C. Writing contents
VIII. Legal Office Memoranda
A. Overview of legal memoranda
B. Developing a research plan
C. Outline of document
D. Writing contents
Assignments:
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1. Read textbook and outside sources of approximately 50 pages per week
2. Study and become familiar with different publishers and resources in a law library
3. Write citations to resources found
4. Locate legal resources on the internet for use in legal document preparation
5. Compose legal briefs of 5 pages or less to be extracted from case review
6. Draft legal office memoranda based on fact pattern scenarios
7. Midterm and final exam
Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.
Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing. | Writing 30 - 40% |
Written homework utilizing resources in a law library, composition of legal documents, briefs, and memoranda | |
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills. | Problem Solving 30 - 40% |
Research legal resources on the internet for use in legal document preparation | |
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams. | Skill Demonstrations 0 - 0% |
None | |
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams. | Exams 10 - 25% |
Midterm and final | |
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories. | Other Category 5 - 25% |
Attendance and participation | |
Representative Textbooks and Materials:
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Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals. 7th ed. Deborah Bouchoux. Aspen Publishing. 2013 (classic)
California Style Manual, Edward W. Jessen. 4th ed. West Publishing. 2000 (classic)
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