SYLLABUS FOR:
PAL 100
DRAFTING LEGAL DOCUMENTS
Instructor: John A. Plesa
419E – Wheeling Campus
(304)-214-8895 [Office]
Course description: This course will provide students with an understanding of the types of legal documents used in state and federal civil proceedings and how to draft them. In addition, the course will provide students with an understanding of legal terminology with their appropriate definitions and pronunciations
Prerequisites:Satisfactory writing placement test scores or ENG 090, satisfactory reading placement test scores or READ 095 or permission of program director.
Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Credit hours:3Lecture hours per week:3
Expanded description/Course Focus: The course will focus on legal terms found in various stages of law. Various activities will be used to reinforce legal theory and terminology. Students will learn the fundamentals of legal documents and pleadings, including contracts, business/corporate documents, wills, civil and criminal pleadings, civil discovery pleadings, and appellate pleadings.
Texts: LEGAL TERMINOLOGY (6th Edition), Gordon Brown, Pearson Prentice Hall and BASICS OF LEGAL DOCUMENT PREPARATION, Robert Cummings, West Legal Studies, Thomson, Delmar Learning, BLACKS LEGAL DICTIONARY 9th Edition.
Grades: Will consists of quizzes, homework, tests, mid-term, & final; Class participation will be used to assess borderline grades.
Grading System: 100%-90% = A 69%-60% = D
89%-80% = B 59%-00% = F
79%-70% = C
Attendance Policy: Attendance will have a direct bearing on your grade. You will be allowed three (3) absences for the semester. I will make exceptions for extreme circumstances (e.g. death in the family). You will drop ½ letter grade for each absence exceeding three (3). Routine doctor appointments or other appointments do NOT classify as extreme circumstances and instructor may request/require documentation.
Students who come more than 10 minutes late or leave more than 10 minutes early will be marked absent.
Chronic absence from class will result in administrative withdrawal. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY AND ALL MATERIALS, TESTS, ASSIGNMENTS, ETC. THAT YOU MISS!
Assignment Deadlines: The nature of the legal profession requires strict adherence to deadlines and timetables, therefore, so does this course. Failure to follow and/or meet assignment deadlines will result in a 50% reduction of the allocated points for that assignment. If an assignment is more than 48 hours late, you will not receive credit for that assignment.
All assignments are to be transmitted electronically to the e-mail account listed on this syllabus.
With the exception of extreme circumstances (e.g. death in the family) excuses WILL NOT be tolerated.Routine doctor appointments or other appointments and in most cases computer “problems” do NOT classify as extreme circumstances and instructor may request/require documentation.
Classroom Conduct Policy: Students are expected to conduct themselves in a courteous, responsible, mature manner in the classroom. This includes being prepared for class; informing the instructor if you are going to miss class; not coming late, leaving during class, or leaving early without prior notification and for legitimate reasons; not engaging in sidebar conversations or being otherwise disruptive in class, harassing or distracting other students or the instructor, making offensive comments, and turning off cellular phones during class.
Academic Honesty Policy: Students are expected to conduct themselves in an adult, ethical, honest and professional way on assignments, research papers, and exams. Academic dishonesty includes things like: cheating (this includes helping or being helped on exams or other assignments that are to be done individually), putting your name on someone else’s work and turning it in as your own, doing work someone else is supposed to be doing, and plagiarism.
You are responsible for your own work. If an assignment is given and you use an outside source to complete that assignment, you must cite to that outside source.
Plagiarism and cheating in any form will automatically result in an F (0%) for that assignment and may result in dismissal from the class, program, and/or the College.
Please note: If you are suspended or expelled from the College for academic dishonesty your eligibility to receive financial aid from ANY institute of higher education will be PERMANENTLY affected.
Student Academic Support Services: WVNCC is committed to providing academic assistance to students to enhance their success. The Academic Success Centers on each campus provide in-house, FREE tutoring to all enrolled students in various subjects. If you find that you are struggling in this or any other course, contact the ASC to see how peer tutors can assist you. Students should call ahead to set up tutoring sessions or request an appointment through their GradesFirst accounts.
Campus Location Phone
Wheeling Room 225B 304-214-8922
Weirton Room 107 304-723-7514
New Martinsville Room 114 304-510-8773
In addition to tutoring through the ASC, Support Services for Students with Disabilities provides accommodations to students with documented disabilities, per ADA-AA regulations, at no charge to students. Students must self-identify and should contact Denise Wycherley, Student Disabilities Coordinator (304-214-8938), or a campus counselor for information about enrolling for services. Furthermore, students can register for services beyond those provided per ADA-AA guidelines for a fee through the C.A.R.E.S. (College Assistance and Resources for Educational Success) program. Contact Denise to learn more about this valuable service.
Academic Student Support Services also includes initiatives to help students be successful in their courses. For instance, all students are given a GradesFirst account that provides them Progress Report notices when they are at risk of failing or being dropped from a course. The Director of “Academic” Student Support Services, Christina Sullivan, administers this service and provides counseling to students struggling in school or thinking about dropping out of coursework. Contact Christina at extension 8853 or for assistance with GradesFirst or for academic support information.
Social Justice Policy: WVNCC does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age, disability, veteran status, color, national origin, religion, or sexual orientation. Any suggestions as to how to further a positive and open learning environment in this class will be appreciated and given serious consideration. If you are a person with a physical or psychological disability and anticipate needing any type of accommodation in order to participate or succeed in this class, please advise me AND contact the Office of Disability Services in Wheeling.
Outcomes
The student will:
1.Be able to differentiate between legal instruments & legal pleadings
2.Demonstrate the ability to draft a variety of legal instruments
3.Demonstrate the ability to draft a variety of legal pleadings
4.Be able to identify, explain, and/or define a variety of legal terminology
Student Learning Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete Drafting Legal Documents will:
1.Identify terms used in criminal law
2.Identify terms used in law of torts
3.Define terms used in law of contracts
4.Explain contract classifications
5.Explain contract requirements
6.Define terms used in law of personal property
7.Define terms used in practice and procedure
8.Describe the service of process
9.Explain the steps in beginning a court action
10.Identify defensive pleadings
11.Explain the common methods of discovery
12.Identify terms used in law of wills and estates
13.Explain the principal clauses in a will
14.Identify terms used in law of real property
15.Describe a title search
16.Define terms used in family law
17.Identify the various types of business organizations
18.Explain the nature, types, and functions of legal instruments
19.Describe legal pleadings in federal practice
20.Describe legal pleadings in state practice
21.Identify legal instruments for contract law
22.Identify legal instruments for real estate law
23.Identify legal instruments for corporate law
24.Identify legal instruments for methods of discovery
25.Identify legal instruments for civil suits