Civil Litigation Syllabus for 2023-2024
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Instructor Information

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Office Hours

Course Information

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Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

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Course

LGLA-1345-001 Civil Litigation

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: LGLA 1307 and BCIS 1305 or Department Chair consent

Course Description

This course presents fundamental concepts and procedures of civil litigation with emphasis on the paralegal's role. Topics include pretrial, trial and post trial phases of litigation.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

In this course, you are expected to read all assigned materials and agree to abide by the rules and guidelines presented in the department academic integrity policy; by submitting an assignment, you acknowledge this policy. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VG1NSpxZzc8HDz_ElcnwYALIMYy-tCSl/view?usp=drive_link

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Hybrid

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

O’Connor’s Texas Rules – Civil Trials 2022 Edition

Author: Michael O’Connor/John Zavitsanos

ISBN: 9781731925633

 

Supplies

Student Performance

COURSE OBJECTIVES

This course introduces students to the process of investigating and planning litigation, case evaluation and strategy, pre-trial matters including motions and discovery, alternative dispute resolution, settlement, trial and post-trial proceedings. By the end of the course, students should be able to:

1. Describe and explain the duties, responsibilities, and relationships of the paralegal;

2. Understand, discuss, and identify the basic composition of court/judicial systems;

3. Demonstrate knowledge of procedural concepts involved in civil litigation;

4. Discuss the professional ethics and regulations for paralegals;

5. Demonstrate basic analytical skills in interviewing, investigation, and trial preparation;

6. Complete projects requiring basic knowledge in instigating and responding to a civil lawsuit, the discovery process, trial procedure, and computer literacy;

7. Identify and complete elementary tasks to demonstrate knowledge of proper procedures in various legal office environments;

8. Gain experience in and understanding of litigation support and administrative advocacy.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

PLAGIARISM, CHEATING, AND WORK ETHIC POLICY

The Amarillo College policies and Code of Student Conduct is strictly adhered to when dealing with plagiarism, cheating, and duplication of work product. Any evidence of plagiarism, cheating or duplication of work product (whether from this semester’s students or a prior semester’s students) will result in a zero on the entire project or test in question.

Plagiarism is considered serious academic misconduct. “Plagiarism” shall be defined as the appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another’s work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one’s own written work. All assignments presented in this class must be the work of the student submitting the assignment. No form of scholastic dishonesty will be tolerated. Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion.

“Cheating on a test” shall include:

• Copying from another student’s test paper.

• Collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during a test.

• Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, or soliciting, in whole or in part, the contents of an unadministered test.

• The unauthorized transporting or removal, in whole or in part, of the contents of the unadministered test.

• Substituting for another student, or permitting another student to substitute for one’s self, to take a test.

• Bribing another person to obtain an unadministered test or information about an unadministered test.

“Collusion” shall be defined as the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work for fulfillment of course requirements. A complete statement regarding scholastic dishonesty can be found in the Student Code of Conduct in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook at: http://catalog.actx.edu/content.php?catoid=10&navoid=407.

Grading Criteria

Exams                                                                     40%

Weekly Projects                                                      40%                                                          

In-Class Assignments and Class Participation        30%

Exams: If you are not going to be able to complete a test within the time period allotted, you are required to contact me by e-mail prior to the test or you will not be allowed to make up the test. If the time and date on the email is after the start of class, this is not considered prior notice. If you contact me, you will be allowed to make up the test, but it must be taken before the next class meeting.

Weekly Projects: Weekly projects will be due by 7:00 p.m. on the next day of class unless otherwise specified. If an assignment is turned in after the due date, but within one week, you will be eligible for maximum grade of 50%. If it is turned in after one week, you will not receive credit for the project.

Class Participation/In-Class Assignments: To receive credit for class participation you must attend regularly, complete all assignments, and participate in class discussions in a positive fashion.

Attendance

Employees in the business world are expected to be at work each day; therefore, students in paralegal studies classes are expected to be in class promptly and regularly.

Calendar

CIVIL LITIGATION - LGLA 1345
COURSE SCHEDULE - SPRING 2024

Week          Topic                                       Reading Assignment

Week 1        Introduction/Syllabus               None                         

                    Course Overview     

  

Week 2         Civil Litigation Basics              Chapter 1

 

Week 3          Plaintiff's Lawsuit                    Chapter 2

 

Week 4          Defendant's Response           Chapter 3

                       & Pleadings

 

Week 5           Alternative Dispute                Chapter 4

                       Resolution

 

Week 6           Exam 1

 

Week 7          Pretrial Motions                        Chapter 5

 

Week 8          Pretrial Motions                        Chapter 5

 

Week 9        Discovery                                   Chapter 6

 

Week 10       Discovery                                   Chapter 6

     

Week 11       Disposition Without Trial             Chapter 7

 

Week 12       Exam 2

 

Week 13       The Trial                                       Chapter 8

 

Week 14        The Judgment                             Chapter 9

                      Postjudgment Motions                  Chapter 10

 

Week 15       Exam 3

 

                                                 

 

 NOTE:  This is a tentative outline of the course schedule.  Your instructor reserves the right to change the schedule as needed to meet the objectives of the course.  Papers and tests become the property of the instructor upon submission and may be retained by the instructor. After grading, you may pick up your Notebook from the paralegal studies office.

 

Additional Information

BE SURE TO SEE YOUR INSTRUCTOR BEFORE YOU CHANGE TO NON-CREDIT, DROP, OR WITHDRAW. THERE MAY BE OPTIONS OF WHICH YOU ARE NOT AWARE.

Syllabus Created on:

01/11/24 7:17 PM

Last Edited on:

01/22/24 4:07 PM