LEGAL 225 - Litigation Practice and Procedure

5.0 Credits
Examines civil litigation process from pretrial through trial and appeal, with emphasis on preparing litigation-related documents and creating trial notebook. Minimal review of Legal 205 concepts; expectation is student already has working knowledge of rules of civil procedure. Emphasis on practical aspects of paralegal role in litigation. Prerequisite: LEGAL 200 and LEGAL 205.

Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Discuss the law office setting and procedures, courts and jurisdiction, and the stages of the civil litigation process. [REASON]
Explain the role of paralegals on the litigation team interviewing clients and witnesses, filing court documents, serving papers, assisting in discovery, assisting at trial and other litigation processes. [REASON]
Integrate substantive and procedural law in preparing documents and working with the various parties involved in the litigation process. [REASON]
Use the relevant federal and state rules of civil procedure and evidence to ensure compliance in preparation of documents, time computation, docketing/calendaring, and other tasks related to the civil litigation process. [REASON]
Demonstrate awareness of the ethical and professional responsibilities of the lawyer and the paralegal in civil litigation. [ACT]
Prepare forms, checklists, pleadings, discovery documents, motions, and other materials relevant to the litigation process. [COMMUNICATE]
Create an organized professional-quality trial notebook. [COMMUNICATE]