Fall Intro

welcome-fall2013

Welcome to class

1st week assignment - Let's get going. Make sure you read the class syllabus and print out the calendar of activities (duedates).  The textbook for the class is Fundamentals of California Litigation for Paralegals, 4th ed. - Marlene A. Maerowitz, Thomas A. Mauet - ISBN: ISBN 9780735587298 - Aspen Publishers. You can purchase the book from the bookstore. It is required since the quizzes are based upon a careful reading of the textbook

Distribution of Grades

Quizzes  40% of your grade

Assignments 45 % of your grade

Forum Discussions - Class Participation - 15%

The class is divided into quizzes (14) - 40% of your grade, assignments (28  ) - 45%,   , Class participation - Discussions  - weekly online discussions -15% of your grade

Quizzes: 40%
Every week we will cover one chapter of your textbook. Here are a list of the quizzes.  Please go ahead and purchase your textbook since you need it for the quizzes and assignments. You can access the first (3) three chapters of the textbook online for your convenience and to give you time to purchase the textbook.   

Assignments - 45%

Here is a list of the assignments for the class.  The first assignment is to prepare a summons and negligence cause of action to a complaint, and the second assignment is to brief a recent civil litigation case.
 
Class Participation - Discussions  - 15%

During the 1st week of class you will post your introduction under discussions, and also post to the following discussion topics - law study, legal argumentation, strategies against procrastination, learning ethics, reading law cases. Thereafter, each week, online students will post three times to each  

Class Rules 

• No cheating please - copying work, or quiz answers from another student is "cheating".
• Be constructive and productive
• Do not gripe or whine
• Ask questions
• Contribute replies
• Expect to be misunderstood and to misunderstand
• Don't take things personally
• Be supportive
• Remember that mistakes are learning opportunities
• Learning is fun, challenging, frustrating, and exciting at the same time. 
  
  

  General Rules for Management:
  
  

• Keep your posts short - one to two paragraphs.
• Keep one topic/question per post - don't mix topics.
• Keep your posts short - one to two paragraphs.
• It is normal to feel lost. ASK lots of questions.
• Keep one topic/question per post - don't mix topics.
  

  How does that sound? I think we can handle this. Did we forget anything?

  Tell Prof Jackman - and let the journey begin!
  

Brief Description of our coverage of Civil Litigation -   We cover the handling of a civil lawsuit from its inception, through discovery, including motions, trial preparation, appeal, enforcement of judgments, and alternative dispute resollution - Chapter 1: Introduction to Litigation, Chapter 2: Informal Fact Gathering and Investigation, Chapter 3: Case Evaluation and Strategy,  Chapter 4: Parties and Jurisdiction , Chapter 5: Pleadings & Chapter 6 - Complaints, Answers, and Cross Claims & Chapter 7 - Special Pleadings, Chapter 8:  Introduction to Motions , Chapter 9 Motions Attacking the Pleadings & Chapter 10 Summary Judgments, Chapter 11: Provisional Remedies , Chapter 12: Evidence , Chapter 13: Introduction to Discovery, Chapter 14 Written Discovery, and Chapter 15 Depositions, Chapter 16: Settlements , Chapter 17: Trial Preparation, Trial, and Appeal , Chapter 18: Enforcement of Judgments, Chapter 19: Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Assignments will include, preparing  summons and complaint - general negligence forms, brieifing a litigation case, summarizing pre-trial pProcedures, analyzing elements necessary to prove slip and fall case, analyizing california codes of civil procedure, learning about the unauthorized practice of law, drafting a dogbite case,  performing case evalluation, analyze administrative remedies and judicial review,  learn about the LA Superior Court, analyze landmark jurisdiction cases, review pleadings, do a research problem,  learn the necessary elements in plaintiffs' pleadings and defenses. practice preparing your own motion, submit a standard complaint, submit a demurrer, discusspProblems with a TRO, submitting five interrogatories,   calendaring and fast track, reviewing settlement conference brief, getting ready for trial, drafting a request to produce documents,   preparing  a trial chart, preparing a release,  enforcing a judgment, and preparing a demand for arbitration.


updated: 8/13/13 @ 11:06 am