Maricopa Community Colleges  LAS225   20036-20042 
Official Course Description: MCCCD Approval: 12/10/02
LAS225 20036-20042 LEC 3 Credit(s) 3 Period(s)
Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing
Integration and further development of legal research and writing skills with an emphasis on critical thinking, issue analysis, and motion practice. Focus on integrating research, writing, and legal argument development. Prerequisites: ENG101 and (LAS101 or TCA101) and (LAS109 or TCA102) and LAS131 and LAS211 and (BPC110 or permission of department chair or program director).
Go to Competencies    Go to Outline
 
MCCCD Official Course Competencies:
 
LAS225   20036-20042 Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing
1. Locate and evaluate judicial opinions for reported cases and statutes for use in a research assignment. (I, II)
2. Prepare and present oral and written case briefs and statutory analysis. (I-III)
3. As a member of a team, research and analyze the legal issues in an assigned case study and summarize the findings in an oral group presentation. (III, IV)
4. Research, analyze, debate and evaluate various applicable legal positions represented in an assigned case study. (IV)
5. Assess and relate the ethical issues involved in legal writing. (V)
6. Prepare an internal legal memorandum, pleading, response, and motion, using proper grammar, format, analytical structure, and citations. (VI, VII)
Go to Description    Go to top of Competencies
 
MCCCD Official Course Outline:
 
LAS225   20036-20042 Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing
    I. Judicial Opinions
        A. Organization of the National Report System
        B. Components of a judicial opinion and their role in case analysis
          1. Procedural history
          2. Factual background
          3. Holding
          4. Rationale
          5. Disposition
        C. The case brief as an analytical tool
      II. Statutes
          A. Organization of statutory compilations
          B. Definitional sections as aids to analysis
          C. Common principles of statutory construction as aids to analysis
          D. Annotations to judicial opinions as aids to analysis
        III. Participating in a Team-Based Research Presentation
            A. Determining and assigning team roles and responsibilities
              1. Supervising attorney
              2. Team coordinator
              3. Other roles dictated by the project
              4. Deliverables
              5. Deadlines
              6. Meeting times and places
            B. Gathering background information as needed
            C. Conducting the research
            D. Discussing the findings
            E. Summarizing the research findings
            F. Preparing the presentation
          IV. Participating in the Assessment of Legal Issues and Positions
              A. Verifying the accuracy of your research
              B. Establishing ethically maintainable positions
              C. Identifying contrary positions
              D. Evaluating relative strengths and weaknesses
            V. Ethical Issues
                A. Acknowledging contrary authority
                B. Accurate representation of authority
                C. Accurate citation
                D. Validating research
                E. Confirming facts
              VI. Document Mechanics
                  A. Grammar
                  B. Format
                  C. Analytical structure
                  D. Citations
                VII. Document Preparation
                    A. Internal memorandum
                    B. Pleading
                    C. Response
                    D. Motion
                Go to Description    Go to top of Competencies    Go to top of Outline