COURSE DESCRIPTION
Studies proper preparation of various legal documents, including legal memoranda, letters, and pleadings. Involves practical applications. May include case and appellate briefs. Prerequisite ENG 111 or permission of instructor. Lecture 3 hours per week.
GENERAL COURSE PURPOSE
This course is designed to acquaint the student with basic forms of informative and persuasive legal writing, including casebriefs, memos, pleadings, motions, and briefs in support of motions or appeals.
ENTRY LEVEL COMPETENCIES
Successful completion of ENG 111 or the permission of the instructor is a prerequisite. Students should also successfully complete LGL 125 (legal research) or obtain the permission of the instructor before enrolling in this course.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
- recognize various types of legal documents and understand their purposes
- draft legal casebriefs, pleadings, office memoranda and briefs for use in trial and appellate courts
- understand and use correct legal citation form
- understand how precedent is used to support written arguments
- combine legal research and legal writing skills to produce a simple research memo or brief
- functions of legal documents
- principles of clear legal writing
- citation form
- briefing a case
- informative office memos
- persuasive writing: briefs in support of motions, trial and appellate briefs
- pleadings and interrogatories
- contracts and settlement agreements
Students may be asked to draft other types of legal documents, such as wills, deeds, opinion letters, corporate bylaws, or proposed jury instructions.
Revised 8/96