INSTRUCTIONAL PACKAGE
LEG 132
LEGAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
SPRING 2013
INSTRUCTIONAL PACKAGE
EFFECTIVE TERM: Spring 2013 (201220)
COURSE PREFIX: LEG 132 COURSE TITLE: LEGAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
CONTACT HOURS: 3.0 CREDIT HOURS: 3.0
RATIONALE FOR THE COURSE: The purpose of this course is to familiarize the paralegal student with the process of legal research and to assist the student in developing the basic skills required to perform legal researching tasks and properly cite legal authority.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is a study of the methods of legal research, proper citation of authority, use of legal treatises, texts, reporters, and digests.
PRE-REQUISITE: ENG 101
REQUIRED MATERIAL:
Text: Bouchoux, Deborah E., Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals, 6th Ed. (2011) Aspen Publishers, Inc.
The Blue Book: A Uniform System of Citation, (19th Ed.) Columbia Law Review et al.
ADDITIONAL/TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: None
Attention HGTC Students:
The faculty and administration of HGTC are committed to enhancing your learning experience at the College through improved methods of instruction and support services. For information on Student Support Services or questions about your curriculum program, please refer to your Wavenet homepage.
STUDENT COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Describe the different types of legal authorities and their hierarchies.
2. Distinguish primary and secondary legal authorities and explain the significance of the distinction.
3. Explain the concept and significance of legal authority as either mandatory or persuasive.
4. Correctly cite primary and secondary legal authority.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of the process of validating legal authority by use of a citator through both print and computer-assisted methods.
6. Explain the benefits and limitations of using a citator as a research tool.
7. Locate and analyze judicial or case law, statutory law and administrative law.
8. Describe and complete the basic steps of legal research, including use of digests and other finding tools and methods, both print and electronic, to locate case law relevant to the legal issues presented by a particular client’s situation.
9. Describe the process of legislation on the local, state, and federal level.
10. Explain the benefits of an annotated statutory publication.
11. Describe the concept of common law and explain the doctrine of stare decisis.
12. Explain how state and federal administrative law is created and distinguish it from statutory and judicial law.
13. Properly utilize state and federal publications, both print and electronic, to locate administrative rules and regulations relevant to a given factual situation.
14. Distinguish substantive and procedural law.
15. Update the various sources of legal authority.
16. Demonstrate basic knowledge of the various methods of computer assisted legal research, to include on-line legal research services and legal research available via the Internet.
CLASS SCHEDULE
TIME TEXT
1.5 Hours Introduction to Course & Texts
Chapter 1: Finding the Law
3 Hours (pp. 10-16; 21-23)
C. Sources of Law in the US
D. Legal Systems of Other Countries
E. Legal Systems of the US (Precedent, Stare Decisis)
H. Change in Our Legal System
Chapter 2: The Federal & State Court System
3 Hours (pp. 32-34; 38-39)
A. Federalism
B. Establishment of Federal Court System
C. Ground Rules for Cases
(Optional pp.39-57)
E. The Federal Court Structure
F. State Court Organization
1.5 Hours TEST ONE
Chapter 3: Statutory Law
3 Hours (pp. 63-80; 98-99)
A. Federal Legislation
1. Optional
2. Classification of Federal Statutes
3. Publication of Federal Statutes
a. US Statutes at Large (OMIT (1) through (8))
b. US Code
c. Annotated Versions of US Code (OMIT (2))
B. State Legislation
1. Enactment of State Statutes
2. Publication and Codification of State Statutes
3. Research Techniques
4. Uniform & Model Laws
TIME TEXT
Chapter 4: Case Law and Judicial Opinions
1.5 Hours (pp. 16-21, 24)
F. Law Book Publishing
G. Non-Print Research Media
I. Identifying the Holding in a Case
3 Hours (pp. 110 -146)
A. Selective Publication
B. Elements of a Case
C. Publication of Cases
D. Publication of State Cases
E. Publication of Federal Cases
F. Star Paging
G. OMIT
H. Features of West’s National Reporter System
I. Finding Parallel Cites
J. West’s National Reporter System
1.5 Hours TEST TWO
1.5 Hours Chapter 4 (pp. 146-155) K. Briefing Cases
L. Citation Form
3 Hours CASE BRIEF ASSIGNMENT
Chapter 8: Legal Citation Form
3 Hours (pp. 291-294; 296-307; 310-325;
332-341; 345-349; 361-364)
A. Introduction to Citation Form
B. Citation Manuals
1. Introduction
2. Overview of the Bluebook
3. OMIT
4. OMIT
C. The Bluebook
1. Organization of the Bluebook
2. Typeface Conventions
3. Revisions to the 18th Edition of the Bluebook
D. Citation Rules and Examples for Primary Authorities
1. Cases (Rule 10)
2. Statutes (Rule 12/Table 1)
3. Rules (Rule 12.8.3)
4. Constitutions (Rule 11)
TIME TEXT
1.5 Hours (Chapter 8, continued)
G. Special Citation Issues
1. Introduction
2. Punctuation (Practitioner’s Note P.2)
3. String Cites (Rule 1.4)
4. Quotations (Omit “j. Paragraph Structure”)
5. OMIT
6. Short Form Citations
7. Use of id. (Omit “Supra”)
I. Quick Reference for Citations
1.5 Hours CITATION ASSIGNMENT/TEST
Chapter 9: Updating and Validating Your Research
3 Hours (pp. 371-394)
A. Using Shepard’s . . . Cases
B. Using Shepard’s . . . Other Authorities
C. Electronic Updating
Chapter 3: (Statutory Research Techniques)
(pp. 91-94)
A.3.d. Use of U.S.C., U.S.C.A.
Chapter 5: The Use of Digests
3 Hours (pp. 162-181)
A. Using Digests to Locate Cases
1. Introduction
2. The American Digest System
3. Organization of the American Digest System
4. West’s Digest Topics
5. Locating a Topic and Key Number
6. Using Digests
7. Other West Digests
8. Common Features Of West’s Digests
9. Other Digests
1.5 Hours TEST THREE
TIME TEXT
Chapter 11: The Digital Library (Internet-Based Research)
1.5 Hours (pp. 466-468)
A. Computer Assisted Legal Research
3 Hours (pp. 478-490)
C. Westlaw
D. Final Pointers
E. Other Competitors in Commercial Electronic Research
3 Hours Work on Online Research Project
FINAL EXAM—Online Research Project
REQUIRED COURSE MEASURES/ARTIFACTS: Students will demonstrate course learning outcomes through a combination of written examinations and graded assignments.
TEST ONE ------15%
TEST TWO------15%
CASE BRIEF------15%
CITATION ASSIGNMENT------15%
TEST THREE ------15%
ONLINE RESEARCH PROJECT------25%
TOTAL------100%
EVALUATION:
Any student who fails to turn in an assignment at the beginning of the class on the date the assignment is due will be penalized five (5) points per day (excluding weekends & holidays).
Class participation and attendance may affect a student's grade in the discretion of the instructor. Students are strongly urged to read text assignments before class.
COLLEGE GRADING SYSTEM:
90-100------A
80-89------B
70-79------C
60-69------D
Below 60------F
WITHDRAWAL POLICY: Students needing to withdraw from a course or courses must do so online using WaveNet. Withdrawal through the fifth day of the term is considered a “drop”, which will not appear on the student’s official transcript. Withdrawal from the sixth day of the term through the two-thirds point of the term results in a grade of a "W." Students who withdraw after the two-thirds date will receive a grade of "W" if passing the course at the time of withdrawal or a grade of "WF" if failing the course at the time of withdrawal. Also, WaveNet cannot be used to withdraw after the two-thirds date by students, only by the instructor. Students should discuss their withdrawal plans and the grade they will receive with their instructor(s) prior to withdrawal.
THE STUDENT SUCCESS AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER
The SSTC is an excellent place for you to go if you start experiencing any trouble with your assignments in this course. The SSTC offers to all students the following free resources:
1. Student and professional tutors (appointment preferred)
2. Student success, academic, and technology support resources
a. Reading Comprehension
b. Study Skills and Test Taking Strategies
c. Writing Skills
d. Microsoft Office 2007 Skills
e. And More….
3. Workshops on student success skills, technology, and D2L for online courses
4. General technology assistance
The SSTC wants you to have the opportunity to use the free resources that they offer to students in house and online on their website: www.hgtc.edu/sstc. To schedule a tutoring session or appointment with staff, please call one of the following locations: SSTC Conway, 349-7872; SSTC Grand Strand, 477-2113; and SSTC Georgetown, 520-1455. Room locations are posted on the SSTC website.