Students are taught to research and cite primary and secondary sources of law, including the state and federal reporter systems, state and federal digest systems, state and federal statutes, legal encyclopedias, and how to shepardize and update authority. This course introduces students to basic legal writing methods and styles, including the difference between active and passive writing styles, the basic format of legal letters, the style options for various legal documents, legal requirements for execution of notary attestation, pleadings, and memoranda. 3.0 Students are introduced to a wide variety of forms used in a typical law practice. Included are family law, corporate law, wills, probate, Workers' Compensation Law, bankruptcy, and real estate. 4.0 Students are introduced to the procedural rules followed when representing a client in state, federal or appellate courts, including the rules governing pleadings, discovery and trial procedure.
Students learn to prepare various forms of legal documents used in civil trial practice.
The basic legal principles involved in the estate-planning process and transfer of assets after death are covered in this course, that also includes wills, substitutes for wills, trusts, and the probate process. Students open and close a simple probate. This course continues the development of legal research skills by teaching the student to analyze cases and prepare case briefs. The student is introduced to computer-assisted legal research. LAW110 Students concentrate on writing the actual documents most often encountered in the legal profession.