School
Business, Entrepreneurship, and Professional Development
Division
Business & Economics
Department
Legal Studies
Academic Level
Undergraduate
Course Subject
Paralegal
Course Number
240
Course Title
Family Law
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
ENG-131 with a C grade or better, or Instructor permission
Catalog Course Description
Introduces the laws of divorce, beginning with the pre-commencement interview and ending with filing the final judgment. Covers the substantive and procedural laws of property division, custody, and support in a divorce action. Also examines issues of child abuse, domestic violence, adoption, and post-judgment matters such as modification and relocation.
Goals, Topics, and Objectives
Core Course Topics
- Initial Client Interview
- Identify legally significant issues in a divorce action by interviewing a hypothetical client.
- Explain the legal and ethical issues surrounding the suspicion of domestic violence and child abuse.
- Prenuptial Agreements
- Discuss the substantive and procedural laws of prenuptial agreements.
- Divorce Litigation
- Discuss the substantive and procedural laws for initiating and answering a divorce action.
- Discuss the substantive and procedural laws for filing ex parte and temporary orders.
- Draft a complaint for divorce, an answer, temporary, or ex parte orders.
- Perform family law research using computer-assisted research tools.
- Property Division
- Discuss the substantive and procedural laws of property division.
- Perform family law research using computer-assisted research tools.
- Support
- Discuss the substantive and procedural laws of spousal support.
- Discuss the substantive and procedural laws of child support.
- Perform family law research using computer-assisted research tools.
- Custody and Visitation
- Discuss the substantive and procedural laws of custody.
- Discuss the substantive and procedural laws of parenting time and visitation.
- Perform family law research using computer-assisted research tools.
- Judgment of Divorce
- Discuss the substantive and procedural laws for resolving a divorce action by alternative dispute resolution.
- Discuss the substantive and procedural laws for resolving a divorce action by trial.
- Draft a judgment of divorce.
- Perform family law research using computer-assisted research tools.
- Post-Judgment Issues
- Discuss the substantive and procedural laws of post-judgment divorce issues such as modification and relocation.
- Perform family law research using computer-assisted research tools.
- Adoption
- Discuss the substantive and procedural laws of adoption.
- Ethics
- Evaluate the ethical considerations and the role of the paralegal in family law.
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.
Effective Term
Fall 2019