INTRODUCTION TO LAW AND THE LEGAL ASSISTANT LGL 110 (3 Cred.)

Summer - 12-week session

NOTE TO STUDENTS: check my website and download class notes from there.

www.nvcc.edu/home/wshannon

INTRODUCTION

Introduces various areas of law in which a legal assistant will be working. Includes intense study of court systems (Virginia and federal) as well as a brief overview of criminal law, torts, domestic relations, evidence, ethics, the role of the legal assistant and other areas of interest. Lecture - 3 Hours per week.

OBJECTIVES

1. The student will have a basic understanding of the American legal and judicial system and how its various elements interact with each other.

2. The student will have a basic understanding of the Virginia court system, civil, criminal, juvenile and domestic relations, and of the federal court system.

3. The student will view the legal assistant's role and functions both in the public and private sectors of law.

4. The student will view some of the various areas of law in which a legal assistant will function.

5. The student will study the various ethical problems which may be faced by the legal assistant.

APPLICABLE TEXTBOOKS AND MATERIALS

There is no required text for this course. Download the subject notes from my website.

BASIC CONCEPTS TO BE TAUGHT IN COURSE

This course is designed to acquaint the student with the basic American law the legal assistant's role therein.

COURSE CONTENT

Class #1: Introduction to the Legal Assistant Program

Class #2: The Court System

Class #3: The Court System - Quiz #1 (covers #1-29)

Class #4: Overview of civil procedure

Class #5: Overview of Evidence

Class #6: MID-TERM EXAMINATION (covers #1-55); overview of criminal law

Class #7: Overview of Criminal procedure

Class #8: Overview of Civil Procedure

Class #9: Overview of Torts; Quiz #2 (covers #50-115)

Class #10: Overview of domestic relations

Class #11: Overview of Legal Research and writing

Class #12: FINAL EXAMINATION (covers #1-142)

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. The student attend at least 13 of the 16 regular class sessions. If a student misses more than 3 classes, he or she will be dropped from the course.

2. The student must take all the quizzes and examinations.

QUIZZES AND GRADING

Each quiz will count 20% of the final grade. The quizzes will therefore count 40% of the final grade. The mid-term and final examinations will each count 30% of the final grade.

90-100: A

80-89 : B

70-79 : C

60-69 : D

Below 60: F

If a student misses either quiz or the mid-term examination, make-ups will be given along with the final examination. There will be no make-ups prior to that time. A student who is more than 15 minutes late for class when a quiz or the mid-term is given, will have to make it up when the final exam is given.

If either quiz is missed, an alternate quiz will be given.

If the mid-term is missed, both alternate quizzes will be given as a substitute.