Syllabus
LONE STAR COLLEGE - MONTGOMERY

Course Title / BUSINESS LAW I
Course Number / 2301-41002
Course Description / 3 CREDITS (2 HRS. LEC.) PRINCIPLES OF LAW WHICH FOR THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR BUSINESS ACTIVITY. INCLUDES APPLICABLE STATUTES, TORTS, CONTRACTS, PERSONAL AND REAL PROPERTY, WILLS AND TRUSTS AND CONSUMER LAW. (2201015124) PREREQUISITES: ENGL 0305 OR ENGL 0326 AND, OR HIGHER LEVEL COURSE (ENGL 1301), OR PLACEMENT BY TESTING.
Credit Hours / 3 Credit Hours
Prerequisites / NONE
Semester and Year / Spring 2009
Instructor Information: / WILLIAM A. PRESTON, JR., J.D.
936-537-3865 (CELL)
Dean and/or Department chair contact information / REBECCA GUSTAMANTE
Dean of Instruction
936 – 273 – 7321
Building F, Room 339
Office Hours / 8:30 AM UNTIL 9:50 AM, Tu./Thur.
There are several options for contacting me. I will reply to you within ONE BUSINESS DAY.
  • Course Discussion Area – DURING CLASS OR OFFICE HOURS. (10:00 UNTIL 11:00, AM Tu./Thur. For any general questions regarding the coursework.
  • Course Email – For any confidential matters, such as your grades.
  • Course Chat – Times will be arranged based on student input.
  • Instructor Phone Number– 936-537-3865 (CELL). This is my daytime phone number. I can usually be reached there AT ANY TIME or you can leave a voicemail.
    email: – For emergency situations where you cannot contact me via the course discussion area or the course email.

Learning Outcomes / In completing this course, you will be introduced to:
  • The history of American law and jurisprudence;
  • Fundamental legal terms and concepts;
  • Court procedure and Alternative Disputes Resolution;
  • Tort law;
  • Product liability;
  • Agency and Employment:
  • Business Organizations:
  • Real and personal property;
  • Insurance;
  • Professional Liability;
  • Ethics;
In completing the course you will develop the skill to:
  • Identify: Issues and law;
  • Make: application of law to facts;
  • Reach: conclusion as to outcome;
Anticipate legal problems.
Required Materials /
  • Clarkson, Miller, Jentz, and Cross, West’s Business Law (11th Edition).

Evaluation
Assignments /

Attendance Expectations

  • Because this course emphasizes the development of critical thinking skills, participation in the class discussions and activities is crucial.
  • THE INSTRUCTOR WILL NOT DROP A STUDENT from the class for absences. THE STUDENT IS RESPONSABLE for formally withdrawing should they choose to drop the class. A student who does not complete the course but fails to drop the class by the withdrawal date (April 6, 2009) will receive a grade of Zero (0) on all uncompleted exams and Zero (0) credits for all uncompleted class assignments. Their final grade will then be computed under the formula set out in EVALUATION (STUDENT GRADE) (infra), and SPRING 2008 CREDIT SCHEDULE, pg. 12.
  • Exams are based on the material covered in class as well as the assigned reading material. Therefore attendance, attention, class participation, taking notes, and personal study are crucial to your success.

EVALUATION (STUDENT GRADE)

  • The student's grade for the semester is based on the written examinations and class participation. (See 2. and 3. [infra]).

1.Class Attendance

Class attendance is crucial. Students who are chronically tardy and/of absent are generally unable to grasp the material and do poorly on exams. However, class attendance will NOT be used to lower your numerical grade.
2. EXAMINATIONS:
1)There will be three examinations.
2)Exams will be prepared by the instructor and given in the classroom during scheduled class time. Test elements include definitions; fill in the blank(s), multiple choice, true/false and essay type questions. Essay questions will be given a higher numerical value toward the exam grade. The point value of the exam questions will be noted on the exam. Ninety percent of the average of the three test scores, plus the points earned on your case presentations (written and oral), [see CLASS PARTICIPATION, #3, below], will constitute your final course grade. Missed exams that are not promptly made up will receive a grade of Zero (0).
3. CLASS PARTICIPATION:
3)Oral presentations with the written briefs of assigned cases will account for 10 percent of your final grade. Each oral presentation and brief will have a numerical value of 10 points. The average of all the case presentation scores (The total of all case presentation scores divided by the number of assigned case presentations) will account for 10 percent of your final grade. Each assigned presentation NOT prepared and given when due will receive “0” points. For example, if you are assigned 10 case presentations during the term and you fail to present two of these assignments, your class participation points would be 8 (8 presented cases x 10 =80 divided by 10 =8). If 90% of the average of your written exams is 73 your final grade will be 73 + 8 = 81.

FINAL GRADE

T The final course grade will be based on 90% of the average of the three test scores plus
popoints earned by case presentations. All exams are from memory. No outside materials, bobooks, notes, or other reference materials) may be used.
UNIT I
Chapters 1 – 5. Legal Environment of Business and Ethics.
Chapters 6 – 7. Torts.
Chapter 23 (Unit 4 – 6, Pages 468 – 476)
Chapter 8. Intellectual Property.
Chapter 51. Professional Liability and Accountability.
UNIT II
Chapters 10 – 18. Contracts.
Chapters 31 – 32. Agency
Chapter 33. Employment and Labor.
Chapter 34. Employment Discrimination
UNIT III
Chapters 35 – 41. Business Forms.
Chapter 47. Personal Property. (Pages 940 – 951).
Chapter 48. Real Property and Landlord – Tenant Relationships
Chapter 49. Insurance.
Letter Grade
Assignment / Final letter grades will be assigned in the following manner:
90 - 100 (A)
80 - 89 (B)
70 - 79 (C)
60 - 69 (D)
59 and below (F)
Classroom
Behavior / WITH REGARD TO CLASS DECORUM, any student engaging in conduct that disturbs the class will, after the second such incident, be dropped from the class. Disruptive conduct is any non-subject matter conduct that requires the instructor to interrupt the class to correct. Such conduct is distracting to all students and interferes with their ability to concentrate.
The Lone Star College Catalog [Student Conduct, Section 562.01d] states, “Disruptive activity that hinders other students’ learning or deters an instructor from effective teaching will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”
Withdrawal Policy / See Spring 2009 Credit Schedule, Refunding Information, page 12.
Syllabus Change / While every attempt has been made to prepare this syllabus and class schedule in final form, it will be the instructor's prerogative to make any changes as may be deemed necessary in order to meet the learning outcomes of the course. Students will be notified in writing of any change.
Certificate/Degree Plan / Degree plans for programs offered at LSC - M0NTGOMERY can be located in the Lone Star College catalog or on the LSC - MOMTGOMERY web site at:
Academic Integrity / Lone Star College Academic Integrity Policy: The Fall 2008 CREDIT SCHEDULE, at page 5 ACADEMIC INTEGRITY, STATES: “The district upholds the core values of learning honesty, respect, fairness, and accountability. We promote the importance of personal and academic honesty. We embrace the belief that all learners – students, faculty, staff, and administrators – will act with integrity and honesty and must produce their own work and give appropriate credit to the work of others. No fabrication of sources, cheating, or unauthorized collaboration is permitted on any work submitted within the district.
Consequences for academic dishonesty to be determined by the professor, or the professor and the academic dean, or the professor and chief student services officer may include but are not limited to:
  1. Having additional class requirements imposed.
  2. Receiving a grade of zero or “F” for and exam or assignment.
  3. Receiving a grade of “F” for the course.
  4. Being withdrawn from the course or program.
  5. Being expelled from the college.

Software Piracy: / Law strictly prohibits unauthorized copying of software purchased by LSC - MONTGOMERY for use in laboratories. LSC - MONTGOMERY administration will take appropriate disciplinary action against anyone violating copyright laws.
Computer Virus Protection: / Computer viruses are, unfortunately, a fact of life. Using the diskettes on more than one computer creates the possibility of infecting computers and diskettes with a computer virus. This exposes the computers of the campus, your personal computer, and any others you may be using to potentially damaging viruses. The campus has aggressive anti-virus procedures in place to protect its computers, but cannot guarantee that a virus might not temporarily infect one of its machines. It is your responsibility to protect all computers under your control and use and ensure that each diskette you use, whenever or wherever you use it, has been scanned with anti-virus software. Since new viruses arise continually, your anti-virus software must be kept current. And, since no anti-virus software will find every virus, keeping copies of data (backups) is extremely important.
Equal Opportunity Statement: / SeeLoneStarCollege catalog or go to
ADA Statement / SeeLoneStarCollege catalog or go to
Advising / For additional assistance or more information on degree plans or future courses that LSC - MONTGOMERY may offer, please contact one of the following:
Course Schedule / SEMESTER DROP DATE, the semester drop date is, April 6, 2009. This is the last day you may drop and receive a “W” for the course.
FINAL EXAM will be given the week of May 5, 2009 from 8:00 AM to 9:50 AM. The exam will be given in Building . Room , the regular classroom. The final exam will cover only the material covered in unit three.
HOLIDAYS:
January 19, 2009, M.L. King holiday.
February 19, 2009, College system conference day.
March 12-15, Mid-semester break.
April 10-12, Spring holiday.

Spring 2009