Law 18 - Family Law - Section #0374

This class is entirely online

Prof David Jordan - Activities - Textbooks
Read Dear Online Student - Study Guide and Welcome Message

Instructor: Prof David Jordan, Esq.

Office: Faculty Office #20

Office hours: Monday thru Thursday, afternoons

Phone: 818-415-2015

Email: abogado@pacbell.net and jordandc@lamission.edu

Etudes site http://etudes.org

Activities http://lamission.org

Textbook: California Family Law for Paralegals by Marshall W. Waller - 6th

Course Description: Law 18 is a study of family law, with emphasis on dissolution of marriage and the California community property laws, restraining orders and domestic disputes.

Course Organization: Law 18 is organized into assignments, quizzes, and preparation of documents for a dissolution of marriage, restraining orders, and domestic violence.

Grade Distribution

Quizzes = 30 % of your grade

Assignments = 30 % of your grade

Forms = 25 % of your grade

Forum Discussions - 15 % of your grade

A = 90% or above

B = 80 -89

C = 70 - 79

D = 60 - 69

F = below 60

C or above is required to pass the class.

For Calendar of Activities and Assignments see
http://lamission.org

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, a student will be able to:

1. Brief law cases in family law including issues in child custody, spousal and child support, jurisdiction, division of community property, and commingling of property.

2. Critically analyze and argue issues in family law those listed above in #1.

3. Prepare legal documents, forms or papers for a dissolution of marriage including summons, petition, response, income and expense declarations, and Order to Show Cause, Restraining Orders, Domestic Violence paperwork, and other judicial council forms in family law.

Students will read family law cases and write a case brief demonstrating their understanding and application of the essential facts and rules of law and legal principles of the case. see case brief rubric at http://missionparalegal.pbworks.com/briefing

Skill Level: College level reading and writing; ability to access the internet. Necessary skills include proficiency using a word processing program, including spell checker, using a web browser, sending and receiving email, saving documents as RTFs (rich text format), uploading and attaching documents.

Estimated Time per Week: 10 hours (see Carnegie Rule)

Class format: The class is an entirely online class. We use the etudes course management system. watch video tutorial at http://etudes.pbworks.com Carefully read our policies.

The class follows a weekly format. There are many opportunities for you to participate and earn points to attain a good grade.

Online classes require your attention and effort. If you fail to log into the class during the first two weeksyou will be excluded from the class. There are activities and assignments each week; you will need to log into the class several times a week.

To be a successful online/hybrid student, you need to do schedule a regular time for studying, read and complete on line activities, and more.

Technical Requirements: The minimum computer requirements are: Computer, either a Macintosh or IBM compatible; modem, minimum 28.8, broadband or high speed internet access is preferred and is required to view the videos. Software: Web browser software, preferably Firefox 3.5 or Internet Explorer 8, an e-mail address and a word processing program.

Get Firefox: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all.html

Get Chrome browser: http://google.com/chrome

Get a free email account at: www.mail.google.com

Students who do not have regular computer access may use computers in the campus Learning Resource Center. Be sure to save all your papers and assignments on a flash drive.

Course Login: http://etudes.org

First Assignment: Introduce yourself to the class under the forum discussions for the first week. This is where you will get to know your classmates. Post your introduction by Sunday evening of the 2nd week. You may be dropped from class if you do not post your introductions by the end of the 2nd week of class.

Contacting Your Instructor: I check my email several times a day and respond to emails within 24 hours. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions; email me at: abogado@pacbell.net , in the subject line : Law 18 #0322. I am also available in-person, on campus, or by telephone on Monday through Thursday, afternoons

Discussion Forums: The discussion forums are the main area for class participation. The weekly discussions open on Mondays and close the following Sunday at 11:59 PM. Initial posts are due by Wednesdays at 11:55 pm. Initial posts should be at least two paragraphs in length (approximately 120-150 words), respond directly to the topic in a reflective manner, referencing the topic link and content provided, and applying the law or case materials. Respond to at least two students to each forum by Sunday evening at 11:59 pm.

CLASS BIOGRAPHIES/INTRODUCTIONS : You will find your instructor's autobiography posted in the "Discussion Board" of the class website. Please post your bio in the discussion board by Friday of week one. In your bio, please be sure to include:

Your name
Academic/Career Goals/Expectations of the class
How you found out about the class/program
Other items of interest, and
Include any preliminary questions or concerns you have at this point.

DISCUSSION FORUMS: Every week a discussion questions posted to the website "FORUMS." You are required to post a answer to each discussion question by Wednesday of the forum week. Further, you are required to post, at least, one response to two or more of your classmates' initial responses. You are not required to respond to every classmate. You may, although this is a decision each student will make.

SOME SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS ABOUT PARTICIPATION:

Class Meeting Discussions:

Please read, review, and reflect on each message PRIOR to posting to the forums. Remember: Others cannot get visual clues as to meaning, therefore, be careful in what and how you communicate. Once posted, messages cannot be deleted!
All postings to any meeting in this class are to be considered CONFIDENTIAL and for consideration and discussion only by members of this class.
Ask questions about areas of the subject that you wish to better understand or for clarification and/or amplification.
Read your classmates comments and presentations, and respond constructively.
Offer personal/professional experiences/observations relevant to the items being discussed.

EXPECTATIONS FOR WRITTEN WORK:

VOCABULARY - You are expected to read and understand the material presented in the assigned text and articles you locate.

FORMAT - Papers submitted should be written in accordance with the APA, Bluebook, or other recognized formatting style.
GRAMMAR - Use active voice in your writing. Also use the spelling and grammar check feature of your Word Processor before submitting your papers.

Homework Assignments: Assignments require you to read and brief law cases. Read the information on"briefing law cases".

Students who plagiarize will receive zero credit on the assignment.

Quizzes: The class is divided into weekly quizzes which are submitted under moodle (they are not timed quizzes like other classes)
Assignments: This includes creating legal documents, and briefing law cases
Forum Discussions: The class is divided into weekly discussion forums. This is 15% of your grade.

Late Assignments Our "Late Work" Policy is firm.

Dropping your class/Exclusion: Look at the Academic Calendar to make sure you what is the last day to drop the class with a "W" if you are not passing the class.

College regulations state that a student may be excluded from a course following accumulation of absences equal to a week of course work. The 12th week of class is the last date a student may drop a class with a "W". (or the 8th week in a "Late Start" class). Thereafter, the student must receive a grade in the class.

If a student has a accumulated score of 50 or below in the 12th week (or the 8th weeek in a "Late Start" class) , it is deemed that the student has accumulated absences in excess of a week of course work, and the instructor MAY, but is NOT required to DROP the student from class, with or without notice. It is the sole responsibility of the student, and not the instructor, to drop the class.

In addition, students who fail to login and post their introduction to class within the first (ten) days of class may be dropped from their online class.

Reasonable Accommodation: For students requiring accommodation the DSPS office provides special assistance in areas like: registering for courses, specialized tutoring, note-taking, mobility assistance, special instruction, testing assistance, special equipment, special materials, instructor liaisons, community referrals, and job placement. The phone number for the Office of Students with Disabled Student Programs and Services is: (818) 364-7732. There website is http://lamission.edu/dsps

Cheating. Unauthorized material used during an examination (including electronic devices), changing answers after work has been graded, taking an exam for another student, forging or altering attendance sheets or other documents in the course, looking at another student’s paper/answers/essay/computer or exam with or without their approval is considered cheating. Any student caught cheating will receive a zero for the assignment/exam and referred to the Department chair and/or Student Services for further disciplinary action.

Plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined as the act of using ideas, words, or work of another person or persons as if they were one’s own, without giving proper credit to the original sources. This includes definitions found online on Wikipedia, materials from blogs, twitter, or other similar electronic resources. The following examples are intended to be representative, but not all inclusive:

✓ Failing to give credit by proper citations for others ideas and concepts, data and information, statements and phrases, and/or interpretations and conclusions.

✓ Failing to use quotation marks when quoting directly from another, whether it be a paragraph, a sentence, or a part thereof

✓ Paraphrasing the expressions or thought by others without appropriate quotation marks or attribution

✓ Representing another’s artistic/scholarly works such as essays, computer programs, photographs, paintings, drawings, sculptures or similar works as one’s own.

For the first offense, you will receive a zero for the assignment in question. Any further offenses may result in expulsion from the class, as determined by the disciplinary action from the Office of Student Services.

Website opens 2/1/16

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS

If you require special accommodations for a disability, religious holiday, or any other reason please inform your instructor(s) within the first week of the course and we will accommodate you if at all possible. For accommodations due to disability, you must consult with the Disabled Students Programs and Services Office after which we will abide by their recommendations.

“MANAGEMENT OF STRESS AND MENTAL HEALTH:

As a student, not only do you have the pressure of succeeding in school, you may also be contending with work, financial issues, relationships, managing time effectively, getting enough sleep, etc. The staff and faculty of Los Angeles Mission College are here to provide support that will help you to be successful in your academic pursuits. You can learn more about the broad range of confidential student services offered on campus, including counseling and mental health services, by either visiting the Student Health Center (SHC), which is currently located in the Bungalow just west of the Collaborative Studies Building*, checking out the SHC webpage at: https://www.lamission.edu/healthcenter/ or calling: 818 362-6182.

I also encourage you to enter the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number (1-800-273-8255) into your cell phone in case you or someone you know is in distress and needs someone with whom to talk.

*Please note that the SHC is slated to move into its new location, between the President’s Office and Administrative Services, in the spring 2016 semester.”

COLLEGE RESOURCES FOR LAMC STUDENTS

see http://lamission.edu/de/student-services

updated: 1/28/16

Law 18 - Spring 2016