8/31/2024 8:20:45 PM |
| Changed Course |
CATALOG INFORMATION
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Discipline and Nbr:
PLS 56 | Title:
CIVIL LIT/DISCOVERY PROC |
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Full Title:
Civil Litigation and Discovery Practices and Procedures |
Last Reviewed:11/22/2021 |
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 or P/NP
Repeatability:
00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As:
Formerly:
Catalog Description:
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This course is intended for students interested in becoming legal secretaries or paralegals, as well as individuals interested in learning the practices and procedures for commencing a civil lawsuit and preparing civil discovery (the most important component of a lawsuit). The students will learn law office secretarial procedures and preparation of legal documents, including, without limitation: a complaint; summons; answer; and proof of service. Different discovery methods will also be explored, including using interrogatories, production of documents, subpoenas, depositions, preparation, processing, and production of discovery documents and responses. Legal calendaring requirements and time frames, trial court delay reduction requirements, local rules of court, service of process, and dismissal of a lawsuit will also be covered.
Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 100 OR EMLS 100 (formerly ESL 100) and Course Completion of CS 60.11A
Limits on Enrollment:
Schedule of Classes Information
Description:
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This course is intended for students interested in becoming legal secretaries or paralegals, as well as individuals interested in learning the practices and procedures for commencing a civil lawsuit and preparing civil discovery (the most important component of a lawsuit). The students will learn law office secretarial procedures and preparation of legal documents, including, without limitation: a complaint; summons; answer; and proof of service. Different discovery methods will also be explored, including using interrogatories, production of documents, subpoenas, depositions, preparation, processing, and production of discovery documents and responses. Legal calendaring requirements and time frames, trial court delay reduction requirements, local rules of court, service of process, and dismissal of a lawsuit will also be covered.
(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 100 OR EMLS 100 (formerly ESL 100) and Course Completion of CS 60.11A
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: | Fall 2022 | Inactive: | |
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UC Transfer: | | Effective: | | Inactive: | |
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C-ID: |
Certificate/Major Applicable:
Both Certificate and Major Applicable
COURSE CONTENT
Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
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1. Explain the procedures for commencing a civil lawsuit.
2. Discuss legal calendaring, local rules of court, and service of process.
3. Create and process legal documents to commence a lawsuit.
4. Discuss the procedures and prepare discovery documents.
Objectives:
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At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
1. Define and analyze the participants and parties to a lawsuit and identify methods for obtaining and gathering information prior to commencement of a lawsuit.
2. Compare and differentiate between a civil case, criminal case, and family law case.
3. Demonstrate use of legal software and special word processing features to prepare legal documents including a complaint, summons, answer, and proof of service.
4. Manage court process from filing a lawsuit to obtaining a judgment or dismissal.
4. Explain the various methods of serving a lawsuit, including publication.
5. Calculate statutory time periods according to the requirements for legal calendaring, including time frames for service of discovery documents and responses.
6. Generate documents required by Sonoma County for the trial court delay reduction program.
7. Outline and cite rules of the Sonoma County Courts relating to civil litigation.
8. Examine and analyze the purpose of discovery and interpret the Discovery Act in the Code of Civil Procedure.
9. Compare the various discovery documents and their purposes and examine the legal requirements of each discovery document according to California law.
Topics and Scope
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I. Brief Comparison of Civil, Criminal, and Family Law Cases
II. Pre-lawsuit Client Intake and Procedure
III. Overview of Calendaring Considerations
IV. Initial Informal Discovery from Client, Professionals, and Witnesses
V. Civil Litigation Process from Commencement of a Lawsuit to Judgment or Dismissal
VI. Terminology relative to Civil Litigation and Discovery
VII. Methods of Service of Process
VIII. Preparation of Civil Litigation Legal Documents using Legal Software and Special Word Processing Features
A. Summons
B. Complaint
C. Answer
D. Cross-Complaint
E. Proof of Service
F. Notice of Motion
G. Memorandum of Points and Authorities
H. Verification
IX. Overview of Trial Court Delay Reduction Requirements
X. Overview of Sonoma County Local Rules relating to Civil Litigation
XII. Service of Documents other than Summons and Complaint
XIII. Discover Purpose and Discovery Act in Code of Civil Procedure
XIV. Discovery Methods (under the Discovery Act)
A. Interrogatories
B. Depositions
C. Demand for inspection and production of documents
D. Request for admissions
E. Demand for physical or mental examinations
F. Compliance with statutory laws and timelines
XV. Calendaring Considerations
A. Time frames
B. Calendaring requirements
XVI. Responses to Discovery Demands
XVII. Discovery Documents
A. Interrogatories
B. Production of documents
C. Subpoenas
D. Notice of Taking Depositions
XVIII. Response Document
A. Answers to interrogatories and requests for admission
B. Response to request for production of documents
Assignments:
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1. Read textbook and outside resources of approximately 30 pages per week
2. Use simulated case to work through civil proceedings and discovery procedures
3. Practice calendaring, including tickle dates
4. Prepare written legal documents, including discovery documents using word processing software
5. Create, organize, and index case files
6. Three to five quizzes
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 10 - 20% |
Drafts of legal and discovery documents using word processing software | |
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills. | Problem Solving 40 - 50% |
Practice calendaring, including tickle dates; use simulated case to work through civil proceedings and discovery procedures | |
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams. | Skill Demonstrations 20 - 30% |
Create, organize, and index case files | |
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams. | Exams 20 - 30% |
Quizzes | |
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories. | Other Category 0 - 0% |
None | |
Representative Textbooks and Materials:
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Litigation by the Numbers. Soren, Julie. Lawdable Press. 2021
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