Course Outline of Record

Item	Value
Top Code	140200 - Paralegal
Units	3 Total Units
Hours	54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours	0
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S),  Pass/No Pass (B)

Course Description

Course in legal research methods and writing by examination and analysis of the law, written legal memoranda, and supervised library assignments. Students will have a working knowledge of statutory and case law, and secondary source research techniques. ADVISORY: LAW C100 or LAW C127 and LAW C128, and LAW C118 or consent of instructor. Transfer Credit: CSU.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

1. Locate, analyze, and use primary authority; apply techniques for locating cross-references and collateral references interpreting the primary authorities in the process of legal research and writing.
2. Locate, analyze, and use secondary authority in the process of legal research and writing.
3. Apply the methods and procedures for citing and updating primary and secondary authority.
4. Formulate a professional legal memorandum or appellate brief that analyzes a general fact situation and includes proper citation, writing style, and techniques.

Course Objectives

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Lecture Content

INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH    (3 hours) Court system Role of research Introduction to briefing LEGAL AUTHORITY            (3 hours) Research media and terminology Legal language Dictionaries and Thesauri SECONDARY AUTHORITY        (6 hours) Encyclopedia             Treatises Legal Periodicals ALR Annotations Restatements Additional Secondary sources             Library assignments on site    (6 hours) PRIMARY AUTHORITY            (6 hours) Codes Session laws Legislative process materials Constitutions Reporters             Digests Alternative case citators Library assignments on site    (6 hours) APPELLATE PRACTICE        (3 hours) REGULATIONS            (3 hours) Agency decisions Mini libraries Library assignments on site    (3 hours) RULES OF PROCEDURE        (3 hours) Legal ethics Computer assisted research Research strategy Development of final project Library assignments on site    (6 hours) Mid-term and Final Examinations        (4-6 hours)

Method(s) of Instruction

• Lecture (02)

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Evaluation and demonstration of public Law Library utilization and resources. Research paper in the form of a legal memorandum or appellate brief in a professional format analyzing a general fact situation.

Eligible Disciplines

Law: J.D. or LL.B NOTE: Courses in aspects of law for application to a particular discipline may be classified, for minimum qualifications purposes in the discipline of the application. Masters degree required.

Textbooks Resources

1. Required Kunz. Process of Legal Research, 6th ed. Aspen Pub, 2004 Rationale: - 2. Required Jessen. California Style Manual, 4th ed. West Publisher, 2000 Rationale: - 3. Required Harvard Law. Bluebook: Uniform System of Citation, 17th ed. The Columbia Law Review Association, 2000 Rationale: -

Other Resources

1. Coastline Library