Course Descriptions
LEGL-41 Introduction to Law and the Legal System
(3 units lecture) Grade Only CSU An introduction to the study
of law including the development of the common-law system
and the legislative and judicial process. The course covers
court structure; jurisdiction, distinctions among civil, criminal
and administrative procedures; and an introduction to
substantive law and selected constitutional issues. Litigation
risk-management techniques are applied.
LEGL-42A Legal Research and Writing I System
(3 units lecture) Grade Only CSU An introduction to the basic
tools of legal research in California law. Students learn to
locate authority relevant to selected legal issues. This skill is
applied to writing clear and concise basic pleadings, motions,
briefs, and memoranda employing the IRAC (issue, rule,
analysis, conclusion) legal-analytical formula.
LEGL-42B Legal Research and Writing II System
(3 units lecture) Grade Only CSU A second-semester course
in intermediate legal research and writing. The course
expands and refines the legal assistant’s ability to implement
legal research, analytical and writing skills. Introduction
to computerized legal-data search. Prerequisite: LEGL-42A
Recommended: CIS-1
LEGL-143 Contracts and Restitution
(3 units lecture) Grade Only A general overview of contract and
restitution law. Students learn what constitutes a contract,
defenses to enforceability at law, and equitable remedies.
The course focuses on developing practical skills required of
legal assistants and application of litigation risk-management
techniques.
LEGL-144 Enterprise Law
(3 units lecture) Grade Only An introduction to the structure
of sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited-liability
companies, and corporations. The course focuses on problems
of formation, management, control, securities, capitalization,
taxation, dividends, reorganization, agency relationships,
fiduciary duties, ultra vires acts, and dissolution. Litigation
risk-management techniques are applied where appropriate.
LEGL-145A Civil Procedure I
(3 units lecture) Grade Only Survey of the civil-litigation
process in California courts. The course covers primary
jurisdiction, venue, service of process, pretrial demurrers and
motions, pleadings, amended pleadings, joinder, concurrent
jurisdiction, introduction to discovery and document form
and content. Selected federal-litigation practices are reviewed.
LEGL-145B Civil Procedure II
(3 units lecture) Grade Only A second-semester course
in discovery devices and strategies. The course covers
information gathering and indexing as applied to requests
and demands for admission and inspection, interrogatories,
oral and video depositions, physical and mental examinations,
expert-witness consultations, and business-records
examination. Recommended: LEGL-145A
LEGL-146 Family Law
(3 units lecture) Grade Only An overview of the substantive
and procedural aspects of California family-law practice.
The course covers adoption, annulment, legal separation,
dissolution, paternity, abuse, and community property.
Students learn to draft dissolution pleadings and marital
settlement agreements. Litigation risk-management
techniques are applied where appropriate.
LEGL-147 Wills and Trusts
(3 units lecture) Grade Only An overview of the fundamental
principles of the law of wills and trusts including simple
will and simple living trust forms. A brief introduction to
the organization and jurisdiction of estate administration
including gift, inheritance, and estate taxes. Selected ethical
considerations are addressed and litigation risk-management
techniques are applied where appropriate.
LEGL-148 Tort Law
(3 units lecture) Grade Only A broad overview of tort law
including intentional torts, negligence, strict liability and
defenses. The course also covers evaluation and appraisal
of personal-injury lawsuits and exemplary damage claims.
Litigation risk-management techniques are applied where
appropriate.
LEGL-151 Bankruptcy Law and Procedures
(3 units lecture) Grade Only An overview of federal bankruptcy
law and procedures: how bankruptcy court functions;
debtor, creditor, trustee, and attorney rights and obligations;
voluntary bankruptcy and wage-earner plans; Chapter 7;
schedules preparation.
LEGL-153 Mediation
(2 units lecture/lab) CR/NC option An introduction to techniques
of mediation used to resolve legal disputes without lawyers.
Students develop mediation techniques through a study of
issue-focused analysis and fundamental doctrines of fairness.
The course presents a nonjudicial, common-sense alternative
to litigation.
LEGL-155 Law Practicum
(1 unit lab) Grade Only Repeatable to a maximum of four
enrollments Pro bono law-related work experience in courts,
law offices, government agencies, legal-aid societies, or
mediation centers. Seminars address field experiences, legal
ethics, and professional responsibility.
LEGL-157 Child Support Specialist
(4 units lecture) Grade Only Introduction to the California
welfare system, skip tracing (investigations), family-support
computer-specific software, judgment enforcement (collection
procedures), client-interviewing, and documenting and
summarizing client interviews. Selected public-relations
challenges and safety challenges typically encountered by
Family Support Officers are addressed. Recommended: LEGL-146
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