Fall 2019 Course Syllabus Course: LGLA-1401- Section: 01 Legal Research and Writing

Instructor Information
Instructor	Doneane Beckcom
E-mail	beckcomde@lamarpa.edu
Phone	(409) 984-6548
Office	Location: Student Center - Room: 415 Hours: MWF 11AM - 2PM, TR 9:00AM - 10:45AM; otherwise by appointment
Department	Business and Industrial Technology Chair: Sheila Guillot E-mail: guillsr@lamarpa.edu Phone: (409) 984-6381 If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.
Course Information
Description	Presents the fundamentals of legal research and writing emphasizing the paralegal's role including resources and processes used in legal research and writing.
Prerequisites	LGLA 1307 (may be taken concurrently, however)
Learning Outcomes	Related PSLO 1.5 Research U.S. Supreme court caselaw 2.1 Locate Texas statutory law 3.5 Write proper citations for various jurisdictions 4.5 Find caselaw for lower federal courts 5.5 Research administrative law 6.5 Locate federal statutory law 7.4 Do legal research in Westlaw 8.1 Research in legal encyclopedias 9.5 Update legal materials in citators 10.4 Perform legal research in Lexis-Nexis 11.5 Research in legal periodicals
Core Objectives	* Communication skills: Students will demonstrate effective written, oral and visual communication. * Critical Thinking Skills: Students will engage in creative and/or innovative thinking, and/or inquiry, analysis, evaluation, synthesis of information, organizing concepts and constructing solutions. * Personal Responsibility: Students will demonstrate the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making.
Program Student Learning Outcomes	Alpha reading skills- 1. Understand legal terms and the paralegal's role in the legal environment. 2. Apply correct drafting procedures to transactional and court documents. 3. Demonstrate appropriate ethics and professionalism in the legal environment. 4. Exhibit the ability to use computer skills. 5. Demonstrate comprehension of legal reading materials
Textbooks	(1) Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals, 8th Edition, Deborah E. Bouchoux, Wolters Kluwer, ISBN 978-1-4548-7335-8 (2) Texas Rules of Form, Texas Law Review, latest ed. (3) The Bluebook of Uniform System of Citation, Columbia Law and Harvard Law Review Association, latest ed.
Lecture Topics Outline	Finding the Law Federal and State Court Systems Statutory Law Case Law and Judicial Opinions The Use of Digests, Annotations, etc. Encyclopedias, Periodicals, Treatises, and Restatements Miscellaneous Secondary Authorities Legal Citation Form Updating and Validating Research Special Research Issues The Digital Library E-Research Overview of the Research Process Back to Basics Strategies for Effective Writing Legal Correspondence Legal Memoranda Legal Briefs Postwriting Steps
Major Assignments Schedule	Week 1: Orientation to class, syllabus, pre test, Chapter 1 Week 2: Chapter 2 - 3 Week 3: Chapter 4 Week 4: Review Week 5: Test 1, Chapters 1 - 4 Week 6: Chapter 5 Week 7: Chapter 6 Week 8: Chapter 7 Week 9: Chapter 8 Week 10: Citation Form Test, Chapter 9 Week 11: Chapter 10 Week 12: Chapter 11 Week 13: Chapter 12, Test 2, Chapters 5, 6, AND 7; Chapter 13 Week 14: Test 3, Chapters 9 - 12; Chapter 14 - 15 Week 15: Chapter 16 - 18, ONLINE TRAINING Week 16: Chapter 19 FINAL is NOT comprehensive, it will cover Chapters 13 - 19
Final Exam Date	December 6, 2019 - 8:00 AM   Through  December 6, 2019 - 10:00 AM
Grading Scale	90 - 100=A    80 - 89=B    70 - 79=C     60 - 69=D    Below 59 = F
Determination of Final Grade	Exams (2-3) 60% Projects and assignments (library and internet lab work) 20% Final Exam (not comprehensive) 15% Attendance 5%
Course Policies
Instructor Policies	I am always available via email and text, 409-718-8613 (emergencies only for texting, please!). If you'd like to see me in person, please make an appointment.
Attendance Policy	It is HIGHLY recommended that you do NOT miss class or lab. This is an intense course and you will learn best if you are there for lecture and lab. It is a very hands on course that requires you to be present.
Academic Honesty	Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSC-PA policies (Section IX, subsection A, in the Faculty Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.
Facility Policies	No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.
Important Information
ADA Considerations	The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the the Office for Disability Services Coordinator, Room 231, in the Madison Monroe Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.
MyLamarPA	Be sure to check your campus E-mail and Course Homepage using MyLamarPA campus web portal (My.LamarPA.edu). When you've logged in, click the email icon in the upper right-hand corner to check email, or click on the "My Courses" tab to get to your Course Homepage. Click the link to your course and review the information presented. It is important that you check your email and Course Homepage regularly. You can also access your grades, transcripts, and determine who your academic advisor is by using MyLamarPA.
Other
HB 2504	This syllabus is part of LSC-PA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.