Maricopa Community Colleges  LAS232   19896-20086 
Official Course Description: MCCCD Approval: 07/22/08
LAS232 19896-20086 LEC 2 Credit(s) 2 Period(s)
Legal Writing II
Definition of the purposes and identification of the constraints on legal writing including audience identification and analysis. Writing of logical and persuasive legal arguments.
Prerequisites: LAS225 or permission of Department Chairperson or Program Director.
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MCCCD Official Course Competencies:
 
LAS232   19896-20086 Legal Writing II
1. Define the various purposes of legal writing. (I)
2. Identify and analyze the audience to which he/she is writing. (II)
3. Identify the constraints on legal writing. (III)
4. Draft a logical legal argument. (IV)
5. Draft a persuasive legal argument. (V)
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MCCCD Official Course Outline:
 
LAS232   19896-20086 Legal Writing II
    I. Purposes of legal writing
        A. Client letters
        B. Pleadings
        C. Private documents
        D. Interrogatories
        E. Legal memoranda
        F. Briefs
      II. Audience
          A. Identifying the audience(s)
          B. Analyzing the audience(s)
          C. Writing for conflicting audiences
        III. Constraints on legal writing
            A. Time and space
            B. Format requirements
            C. Formal and informal rules of courts and agencies
            D. Citation requirements
            E. Content constraints
          IV. Contructing a logical legal argument
              A. Deductive reasoning
              B. Syllogistic approach
              C. Faulty logic
            V. Constructing a persuasive legal argument
                A. Emphasizing effective and appropriate information
                B. Choosing words effectively
                C. Accentuating the positive and minimizing the negative
                D. Anticipating counterarguments
                E. Avoiding conclusory writing
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