Course Description
This course will focus on the essential skills of legal research, writing, and analysis. Students will learn to use the traditional book-based methods of legal research as well as electronic research systems such as Westlaw and/or LexisNexis. (3 credits)
Prerequisite
- None
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Upon successful completion of the course the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of the main sources and types of law.
- Perform basic legal analysis of a client’s case (IRAC)
- Locate and analyze statutory law
- Locate and brief case law (court opinions)
- Understand the role of secondary authority and use digests and Shepard’s
- Conduct basic electronic legal research using Westlaw
- Properly cite legal sources
- Identify and analyzing key facts in court opinions and clients’ cases
- Identify (spot) issues in a client’s case
- Effectively state the issue of a case
- Determine if a case is on point
- Understand basic counter-analysis techniques
- Adopt an effective Legal Writing Process
- Draft legal office memorandum
- Understand the elements and organization of court briefs.
Course Activities and Grading
| Assignments | Weight |
|---|---|
Discussions | 40% |
Written Assignments | 10% |
Quizzes | 15% |
Group Project | 15% |
Final Exam | 20% |
Total | 100% |
Required Textbooks
Available through Charter Oak State College's online bookstore
- Putman, William H. (2018). Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing. 4th ed. Cengage Learning. ISBN-10: 1-337-41415-8 or ISBN-13: 9781337414159 [Looseleaf version]
Additional Resources
- None
Course Schedule
| Week | SLOs | Readings and Exercises | Assignments |
|---|---|---|---|
1 |
1, 2 | Topic: Introduction to Legal Principles & Authorities
Topic: Introduction to Legal Research & Analysis
|
|
2 |
3, 4 | Topic: Statutory Research & Analysis
Topic: Case Law Research & Briefing
|
|
3 | 5, 6, 7 | Topic: Secondary Authority –Digests & Shepard’s
Topic: Computers & Legal Research
Topic: Legal Citation
|
|
4 | 8, 9 | Topic: Legal Analysis-Key Facts
Topic: Legal Analysis – Issue Identification
|
|
5 | 10, 11 | Topic: Legal Analysis – Stating the Issue
Topic: Case Law Analysis – Is a Case on Point?
|
|
6 | 12, 13 | Topic: Counter-analysis
Topic: The Writing Process for Effective Legal Writing
|
|
7 | 14, 15 | Topic: Office Legal Memorandum
Topic: External Memorandum: Court briefs
|
|
8 | 15,16 | Topics: Group Project and Final Exam
|
|
Final Exam | |||
COSC Accessibility Statement
Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.
COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources
Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.