PLGL-120: Legal Research I

This course is INACTIVE
School
Business, Entrepreneurship, and Professional Development
Division
Business & Economics
Department
Paralegal
Academic Level
Undergraduate
Course Subject
Paralegal
Course Number
120
Course Title
Legal Research I
Credit Hours
3.00
Instructor Contact Hours Per Semester
47.00 (for 15-week classes)
Student Contact Hours Per Semester
47.00 (for 15-week classes)
Grading Method
A-E
Pre-requisites
PLGL 100 and ENG 131 - both with a C grade or better
Co-requisites
BBA 110
Catalog Course Description

Examines the structure of the court systems and sources of law in the context of conducting legal research; covers how to locate and understand statutory, regulatory, and common law; and how to identify real or hypothetical legal issues and then develop a research plan using both print and electronic sources of law.

Goals, Topics, and Objectives

Core Course Topics
  1. Sources of Law
    1. Identify sources of law in the context of legal research.*
  2. Structure of Federal and State Court Systems
    1. Explain the structure of federal and state court systems, and the manner in which civil and criminal cases progress through these court systems.
    2. Identify proper jurisdictional authority.*
  3. Locating the Law
    1. Locate the law using primary and secondary resources.
    2. Distinguish between mandatory and persuasive authorities.*
  4. Validate Legal Research
    1. Validate findings.
  5. Westlaw®
    1. Generate search terms.*
    2. Apply basic Boolean research techniques.*
  6. Identification of Legal Issues
    1. Identify legal issues from real or hypothetical scenarios.*
  7. Research Plan
    1. Develop research strategies for federal and state statutory, regulatory, and case-based sources using primary and secondary authorities.*
    2. Generate search terms.*
    3. Perform basic legal research using books and computer-assisted research tools.*
  8. Anatomy of a Case
    1. Brief legal cases, properly identifying all parts.*
  9. Ethics
    1. Evaluate the ethical considerations of the paralegal in the legal research process.

Assessment and Requirements

Assessment of Academic Achievement

Students will be assessed through quizzes, tests, in-class and out-of-class assignments, drafting assignments, and/or class participation.

Approval Dates

Effective Term
Winter 2016
Deactivation Date
ILT Approval Date
Curriculum Committee Approval Date