MISSOURI WESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Professional Studies
Department of Criminal Justice, Legal Studies, & Social Work
SPRING 2014
Course Title:
LAT101-40: Introduction to Law meets Fridays from 9-9:50 am with Instructor Nichi Yeager
LAT101-41: Introduction to Law meets Friday from 11-11:50 with Instructor Suzanne Kissock
LAT101-42: Introduction to Law meets Thursday from 5:30-6:20 with Instructor Jeremy Swenson
LAT101-44: Introduction to Law meets online with Jeremy Swenson
Credits: 3
Format: Hybrid/Online (Moodle)
Contact Information for Suzanne Kissock:
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Email: kissock@missouriwestern.edu
Phone: (816) 271-4454
Office: Wilson Hall, room 203D
Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 1:00 to 3:00 PM and by appointment as
needed
Contact Information for Jeremy Swenson:
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Email: jswenson@lawmo.org
Phone: (816) 364-2325, ext. 108
Office: 106 S. 7th St.
Office Hours: by appointment as needed
Contact Information for Nichi Yeager:
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Email: nyeager@yahoo.com
Phone: (816) 262-7363
Office: Wilson Hall, room 203D
Office Hours: by appointment as needed
Course Description
This course presents an overview of various substantive and procedural areas of the law and their
corresponding legal practice areas. Students are introduced to the legal profession, legal ethics,
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sources of law, an overview of the U.S. court system, alternate dispute resolution systems, various
substantive and procedural areas of the law, and analyzing an application of law to factual
circumstances.
Course Objectives
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Explore the legal profession and its ethics
2. Examine the sources of American Law and the court system
3. Describe the federal and state court systems
4. Research legal matters
5. Apply styles and formats used in legal writing
6. Draft legal documents
7. Describe elements in preparing for trial
8. Explain the trial process
9. Explain the appellate process
10. Explain alternate dispute resolution
11. Describe constitutional law
12. Explain criminal law and procedure
13. Articulate the legal principles of tort law
14. Describe the classifications and elements of contracts
15. Outline the basic principles of property law
16. Examine the legal principles of family law
17. Examine estate planning and probate
18. Describe employment law
19. Describe the primary forms of business
20. Summarize bankruptcy law
21. Describe the authority and functioning of administrative agencies
Course Materials
Title: Introduction to Law
Edition: 4th
Author: Joanne Banker Hames & Yvonne Ekern
ISBN: ISBN-10: 013502434X ISBN-13: 978-0-13-502434-8
Graded Activities
2
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Discussion / Participation
Presentations
Case Studies
Quizzes / Assessments
Analysis Exercises
Web Research
Writing Assignments
Article Review
Ungraded Activities
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Reading Assignments
Grades
The following table shows the assignment types contained within this course, and the assigned
weighting used to determine the final course grade.
Activity Types
Discussion /Participation
Quizzes/Tests
Writing Assignments,
Research, and
Presentations
Analysis Exercises
Bibliography
Weights (%)
15%
40%
20%
15%
10%
Total: 100%
Letter grades for the course will be based on the following grading scale.
Letter Grade
A
B
C
D
F
Percentage
90 - 100%
80 - 89%
70 - 79%
60 - 69%
<60%
Grade Point
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
Course Participation
Attendance and participation is required and is included as part of your final grade. Please make a
constant and consistent effort to attend all lectures, complete all assignments on time, and participate
in all class discussions and activities.
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Course Etiquette
The objective in any class discussion or discourse is to be collaborative, not combative. Please consider
your responses carefully before you post them to make sure that they will not be offensive to others.
Use these opportunities to develop your skills in collaboration and teamwork. Treat these experiences
as a creative environment where you and your classmates can ask questions, express opinions, revise
opinions, and take positions.
Academic Honesty Policy and Due Process
Academic honesty is required in all academic endeavors including online courses. Violations of
academic honesty include any instance of plagiarism, cheating, seeking credit for another’s work,
falsifying documents or academic records, or any other fraudulent activity. Violations of academic
honesty may result in a failing grade on the assignment, failure in the course, or expulsion from the
University. When a student’s grade has been affected, violations of academic honesty will be reported
to the Provost or designated representative on the Academic Honesty Violation Report forms. Please
see the Missouri Western Student Handbook and Calendar on for specific activities identified as
violations of this policy and the student due process procedure. This handbook is also available online
at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/handbook/index.pdf .
Writing Services
Title : Offered by the Center for Academic Support (CAS) located in Hearnes 213
Additional information : The CAS has a staff of trained peer writing tutors who can help students with
their writing assignments. Tutors do not proofread papers but they can guide students through any
phase of the writing process, including assistance with correctness issues. Students can schedule
appointments with writing tutors during any of the following times: Monday-Thursday (8 a.m. to 4
p.m.); Friday (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.); and Monday-Thursday evenings (6 p.m. to 9 p.m.)
Content Tutoring
Located in the Center for Academic Support in Hearnes 213
Additional information : The CAS offers content tutors available for any class a student requests help
in.
Reading & Study Skills Services in the CAS
Title : Cathy Gann, Director
Additional information : The CAS offers reading and study skills services for all MWSU students. Study
strategies are offered that enable students to manage time effectively, take better notes, understand
and recall information more reliably, control test anxiety and better prepare for course exams. Reading
help is available to improve vocabulary and complexity of the reading they must do in their classes.
Students can schedule appointments on Monday-Thursday (8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) and Friday (8 a.m. - 3
p.m.)
MWSU Attendance Policy
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An online course is considered as "meeting" at least once a week. Students are required to “attend”
class through communication or submission of some work at a minimum every 7 days. Students who
do not communicate or submit work for one full week (that is, for one 7-day period) will be counted
as an unexcused absence for that week. Any excused absences are at the complete discretion of the
instructor. For more information about this university policy, see the college catalog at
http://www.missouriwestern.edu/catalog/academicpolicies.pdf (on page 22).
School Cancellation Policies
Missouri Western State University will close only in extraordinary circumstances. If the University is to
close due to weather/road conditions, the decision will be made as follows: Daytime Closing – normally
the decision will be made by 6:00 a.m. Evening Closing – normally the decision will be made by 4:00
p.m. Any closing of the University will be broadcast on the following stations: KCMO Radio (81 AM, and
95 FM), KKJO Radio (105.5 FM), KFEQ Radio (68 AM), KSJQ Radio (92.7), WDAF Television (Channel 4),
KQ2 Television (Channel 2). If closings are not reported on the aforementioned stations, it should be
assumed the University is open. It should be noted the University Administration will take several
factors into consideration when making the decision to close the University due to weather/road
conditions. Therefore, it cannot be assumed the University will close when area schools are closed.
Notification will also be posted on Missouri Western’s web page.
MWSU Disability Policy
Introduction: Any student in this course who has a disability that prevents the fullest expression of
abilities should contact the instructor personally as soon as possible so that we can discuss class
requirements.
Grade Appeal Process
Additional information: Students are responsible for meeting the standards for academic performance
established for each course in which they are enrolled. The establishment of the criteria for grades and
the evaluation of student academic performance are the responsibilities of the instructor delegated by
this University. The grade appeal procedure is available for the review of allegedly capricious grading or
clerical error by the instructor and not for the purpose of evaluating the student’s academic excellence
in any particular course. The Student Due Process Procedure is described in the MWSU Student
Handbook: www.missouriwestern.edu/handbook.
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