Course Description
This course will focus on a survey of basic family law proceedings and the nuances of the family court system. Topics include: the legal rights and duties of married couples, the laws governing divorce and maintenance, the equitable distribution of marital property, the principles guiding child custody, support and visitation, the rights of unmarried parents, the need of paternity testing, the role of surrogate parents, no-fault divorce, and the status of civil unions. (3 credits)
Prerequisites
- ENG 101: English Composition 1
- ENG 102: English Composition 2
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Apply the foundations of current family law and the ethical considerations of the family law paralegal.
- Describe the judicial process of a family court case and define associated legal terms and concepts.
- Write all necessary documents to initiate a divorce action and modify a family court judgment.
- Analyze the best interest of the child standard and articulate how the standard influences child custody cases.
Analyze the financial consequences of divorce, including property distribution and alimony.
- Identify the rationale for the courts’ use of the child support guidelines and describe the child support award process.
- Describe the paralegal’s role in preparing for and presenting a family court case.
- Assess effective methods to enforce and modify family court judgments and child support orders.
- Identify factors that contribute to child abuse and neglect and describe state interventions to protect children.
General Education Outcomes (GEOs)
Please check the applicable GEOs for this course, if any, by outcomes at GEO Category Search, or by subject area at GEO Discipline Search.
Course Activities and Grading
| Assignments | Weight |
|---|---|
Discussions (Weeks 1-8) | 30% |
Short Papers (Weeks 2 & 7) | 15% |
Complaint (Week 4) | 10% |
Decree (Week 5) | 10% |
Motion to Modify (Week 6) | 10% |
Final Exam (Week 8) | 25% |
Total | 100% |
Required Textbooks
Available through Charter Oak State College's online bookstore
- Miller, Justine and Grace Luppino. Family Law and Practice. 5th ed. Prentice Hall, 2020. ISBN-10: 0-13-518631-5 or ISBN-13: 978-0-13-518631-2
Course Schedule
| Week | SLOs | Readings and Exercises | Assignments |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1,2 | Topic: Introduction to Family Law
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2 | 2,5 | Topic: Financial Consequences of Divorce
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3 | 2,4,6 | Topic: Child Custody and Child Support
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4 | 2,3,7 | Topic: The Divorce Case: Initial and  Responsive Pleadings
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5 | 2,3,5,7 | Topic: The Divorce Case: Discovery through Judgment
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6 | 7,8 | Topic: The Divorce Case: Post-Judgment Proceedings
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7 | 4,9 | Topic: State Interventions into the Family: Issues Related to Child Abuse and Neglect
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8
| 1,7 | Topic: Practical Ethical Considerations for the Family Law paralegal
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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.