Note:
Course content may be changed, term to term, without
notice. The information below is provided as a guide
for course selection and is not binding in any form,
and should not be used to purchase course materials.
PLAW 220 Course Syllabus
COURSE SYLLABUS
PLAW 220
CIVIL PRACTICE
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is the study of the rules and principles governing the process by which courts
adjudicate civil disputes. The subject matter covered includes study of the judicial process and
the relationship between procedural and substantive law; pleadings; principles of jurisdiction,
including jurisdiction over persons and subject matter; service of process and allocation of
jurisdiction between state and federal court systems; and the discovery of evidence.
RATIONALE
Every lawsuit involves two primary and equally important components: substantive law that
governs the litigants’ rights and obligations, and rules and principles that govern how the court
will apply the substantive law. This course’s primary focus is the latter. Because mastery of civil
procedure enables lawyers to plot sound strategy for their clients, it is essential to being an
effective legal assistant and to being fully prepared to provide the necessary guidance. Moreover,
the law of civil procedure represents our judicial systems’ best efforts to provide for fair and just
resolution of disputes; therefore, this course emphasizes the need for litigants’ strong
commitment to operate with “the rules” to achieve justice, integrity, and civility.
I.
II.
PREREQUISITES
For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic
Course Catalog.
REQUIRED RESOURCE PURCHASES
Click on the following link to view the required resource(s) for the term in which you are
registered: http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/liberty.htm
III.
IV.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR LEARNING
A.
Computer with basic audio/video output equipment
B.
Internet access (broadband recommended)
C.
Microsoft Office
MEASURABLE LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
A.
Explain general principles of civil litigation.
B.
Choose the mode of discovery in a civil lawsuit that achieves litigation goals and
strategies.
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PLAW 220 Course Syllabus
V.
C.
Evaluate various litigation strategies as they relate to a client’s best interests.
D.
Apply Christian principles of ethical and moral conduct to achieve justice and
fairness.
E.
Classify the elements that comprise a complaint, or petition, as well as answers
that comply with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and other governing
principles of civil procedure.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND ASSIGNMENTS
A.
Textbook readings and presentations
B.
Course Requirements Checklist
After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will
complete the related checklist found in Module/Week 1.
C.
Discussion Board Forums (2)
Discussion boards are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is
required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt for each forum.
Each thread must be 300 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In
addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’
threads. Each reply must be 150 words.
D.
Article Reviews (2)
The student will submit brief reviews discussing current news articles related to a
trial or other actions that directly relate to the subject matter of civil litigation.
News articles used for this assignment must come from the newspaper, a news
program, or some other reputable news source (either traditional such as a
newspaper or news magazine, or from a reputable online source). Each review
must be in current Bluebook format and be 1–2 full pages, double-spaced.
E.
Written Exercises (4)
The student will write a paper of at least 2 pages in current Bluebook style. The
student must have at least 1 work cited in addition to citing the textbook. The
student is also required to follow the instructions for each of the 5 individual
writing assignments.
F.
Draft Complaint
The student will select a featured case study from the textbook to prepare a draft
summons and complaint to be filed in his/her local federal court. This work must
total a minimum of 5 pages and be written in current Bluebook style. The
textbook must be cited according to Bluebook standards. The student is required
to use the course textbook.
G.
Quizzes (5)
Each quiz is composed of 25 randomized multiple-choice and true/false questions.
They will cover each module/week’s respective textbook reading. The student
will have 1 hour to complete each open-book/open-notes quiz.
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PLAW 220 Course Syllabus
VI.
COURSE GRADING AND POLICIES
A.
Points
Course Requirements Checklist
Discussion Board Forums (2 at 50 pts ea)
Article Reviews (2 at 50 pts ea)
Written Exercises (4 at 100 pts ea)
Draft Complaint
Quizzes (5 at 50 pts ea)
Total
B.
10
100
100
400
150
250
1010
Scale
A = 900–1010 B = 800–899 C = 700–799 D = 600-699 F = 0–599
C.
Late Assignment Policy
If the student is unable to complete an assignment on time, then he or she must
contact the instructor immediately by email.
Assignments that are submitted after the due date without prior approval from the
instructor will receive the following deductions:
1.
Late assignments submitted within one week of the due date will
receive a 10% deduction.
2.
Assignments submitted more than one week late will receive a 20%
deduction.
3.
Assignments submitted two weeks late or after the final date of the
class will not be accepted.
4.
Late Discussion Board threads or replies will not be accepted.
Special circumstances (e.g. death in the family, personal health issues) will be
reviewed by the instructor on a case-by-case basis.
D.
Disability Assistance
Students with a documented disability may contact Liberty University Online’s
Office of Disability Academic Support (ODAS) at LUOODAS@liberty.edu to
make arrangements for academic accommodations. Further information can be
found at www.liberty.edu/disabilitysupport.
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PLAW 220 Course Syllabus
VII.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Allan Tow, The Professional Paralegal (2009). ISBN: 978007340391.
C. Suzanne Bailey & Chana Barron, Constitutional Law (2006). ISBN: 9780766840140.
Deborah S. Benton, Introduction to the Law for Paralegals (2006). ISBN:
9780073511795.
Marlene A. Maerowitz & Thomas A. Mauet, Fundamentals of Litigation for Paralegals
(2008). ISBN: 9780735568075.
Neal Bevans, Civil Law and Litigation for Paralegals (2007). ISBN: 9780073524610.
Roger Miller & Mary Meinzinger, Paralegal Today: The Legal Team at Work (5th ed.
2010). ISBN: 9781435498556.
Samuel Issacharoff, Civil Procedure (2009). ISBN: 97815995352.
Thomas F. Goldman & Alice Hart Hughes, Civil Litigation: Process and Procedures
(Custom Package) (2nd ed. 2012). Digital version or Print version.
Thomas F. Goldman & Henry R. Cheeseman, The Paralegal Professional: The Essentials
(3rd ed. 2010). ISBN: 9780135064016.
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COUR ### Course Schedule
COURSE SCHEDULE
PLAW 220
Textbook: Goldman & Hughes, Civil Litigation: Process and Procedures (2015).
MODULE/
WEEK
READING & STUDY
1
Goldman & Hughes: chs. 1–3
2 presentations
7 websites
Course Requirements Checklist
Class Introductions
DB Forum 1
Quiz 1
10
0
50
50
2
Goldman & Hughes: chs. 4–6
1 presentation
10 websites
Article Review 1
Quiz 2
50
50
3
Goldman & Hughes: chs. 7–9
1 presentation
6 websites
Written Exercise 1
100
4
Goldman & Hughes: chs. 10–12
1 presentation
5 websites
Written Exercise 2
Quiz 3
100
50
5
Goldman & Hughes: chs. 13–14
1 presentation
8 websites
Written Exercise 3
Quiz 4
100
50
6
Goldman & Hughes: chs. 15–16
1 presentation
3 websites
DB Forum 2
Article Review 2
50
50
7
Goldman & Hughes: chs. 17–18
1 presentation
7 websites
Written Exercise 4
100
8
Goldman & Hughes: chs. 19–20
1 presentation
3 websites
Draft Complaint
Quiz 5
150
50
TOTAL
1010
ASSIGNMENTS
POINTS
DB = Discussion Board
NOTE: Each course module/week (except Module/Week 1) begins on Tuesday morning at
12:00 a.m. (ET) and ends on Monday night at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The final module/week
ends at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday.