Paralegal Studies

A course covering the information, knowledge and skills needed to succeed specifically in paralegal studies, including study skills, setting academic goals, managing time, and technology skills such as word processing, presentations, and spreadsheets.

This course presents the role of paralegals in the legal system, introduces paralegal skills, and explores career opportunities. It highlights the ethical and professional guidelines that govern the paralegal field. It also introduces the sources of law, an overview of courts, and alternative dispute resolution systems.

This course presents the role of paralegals in the civil litigation process including alternative dispute resolution. It gives students instruction on basic legal research and writing, drafting documents and pleadings, and electronic filing.

This course provides the paralegal student with an introduction to the types and functions of technology in the legal field, providing them with knowledge of and access to commonly used software.

This course introduces future paralegals to all facets of contract preparation, including ethical, practical, and professional issues. Students practice drafting contracts for equipment, real estate, and business sales, while reviewing current case law, completing critical thinking assignments involving attorney briefings and legal cases.

This course expands the skills of the paralegal student in performing legal research and writing, emphasizing case briefing and legal analysis. It provides students with experience using research tools and search engines available in the legal field.

This course provides students with an understanding of the nature, formation and regulation of business organizations. Students will not only learn fundamental applications of business law, but also will be able to put those basics into practice after reading a multitude of real-world examples and performing several skill assessment activities.

This course provides a basic understanding of personal injury, wrongful death, professional malpractice, and civil rights litigation. Students develop skills in applying law to fact patterns as well as utilizing rules of state and federal civil procedure.

This course focuses on the paralegal's role in a family law practice and the opportunity to develop practical skills for family law practice paralegals. Topics include fundamental concepts of family law, including jurisdictional issues, paternity issues, adoption, formal and informal marriages, divorce, annulment, marital property, and the parent-child relationship with emphasis on the paralegal's role.

This course involves the study of both substantive and procedural criminal law, the different stages of the criminal process from the prospect of both prosecution and defense. Topics include the classifications and elements of state and federal crimes, constitutional civil rights, procedural and evidentiary rules, criminal trial litigation preparation.