PA 215 - Computer Assisted Legal Research and Writing

Credit Hours: 3

This course is designed to provide the student with an understanding of the various sources of law. They will be instructed on how to find law in a functional law library. The course will provide instruction in writing basic legal memoranda and the preparation of other common legal documents. The textbook, classroom lectures, library instruction and computer lab will provide the student with the basic skills to critically read a set of facts, identify legal issues, find appropriate sources of law to address those issues and author a basic law office memorandum. The student will have an opportunity to develop legal research skills using Lexis Nexis and Lexis Advance

Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

identify the available sources of law;
utilize a functional law library (find law using books);
interpret and critically read a set of facts (analyze);
identify the legal issues that arise from those facts;
find appropriate sources of law to address certain legal issues;
demonstrate basic legal research skills using the computer;
interpret legal research data and explain results; and
draft a basic legal memorandum.

F/S (C)