SYLLABUS FOR:
PAL 100
DRAFTING LEGAL DOCUMENTS
Instructor: John A. Plesa
419E – Wheeling Campus
(304)-214-8895 [Office]
jplesa@wvncc.edu
Course description: This course will provide students with an understanding of the
types of legal documents used in state and federal civil proceedings and how to draft
them. In addition, the course will provide students with an understanding of legal
terminology with their appropriate definitions and pronunciations
Prerequisites: Satisfactory writing placement test scores or ENG 090, satisfactory
reading placement test scores or READ 095 or permission of program director.
Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Credit hours: 3
Lecture hours per week:
3
Expanded description/Course Focus: The course will focus on legal terms found in
various stages of law. Various activities will be used to reinforce legal theory and
terminology. Students will learn the fundamentals of legal documents and pleadings,
including contracts, business/corporate documents, wills, civil and criminal pleadings,
civil discovery pleadings, and appellate pleadings.
Texts: LEGAL TERMINOLOGY (6th Edition), Gordon Brown, Pearson Prentice Hall
and BASICS OF LEGAL DOCUMENT PREPARATION, Robert Cummings, West
Legal Studies, Thomson, Delmar Learning, BLACKS LEGAL DICTIONARY 9th
Edition.
Grades: Will consists of quizzes, homework, tests, mid-term, & final; Class participation
will be used to assess borderline grades.
Grading System: 100%-90% = A 69%-60% = D
89%-80% = B 59%-00% = F
79%-70% = C
Attendance Policy: Attendance will have a direct bearing on your grade. You will be
allowed three (3) absences for the semester. I will make exceptions for extreme
circumstances (e.g. death in the family). You will drop ½ letter grade for each absence
exceeding three (3). Routine doctor appointments or other appointments do NOT classify
as extreme circumstances and instructor may request/require documentation.
Students who come more than 10 minutes late or leave more than 10 minutes early will
be marked absent.
Chronic absence from class will result in administrative withdrawal. YOU ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY AND ALL MATERIALS, TESTS, ASSIGNMENTS,
ETC. THAT YOU MISS!
Assignment Deadlines: The nature of the legal profession requires strict adherence to
deadlines and timetables, therefore, so does this course. Failure to follow and/or meet
assignment deadlines will result in a 50% reduction of the allocated points for that
assignment. If an assignment is more than 48 hours late, you will not receive credit for
that assignment.
All assignments are to be transmitted electronically to the e-mail account listed on this
syllabus.
With the exception of extreme circumstances (e.g. death in the family) excuses WILL
NOT be tolerated. Routine doctor appointments or other appointments and in most cases
computer “problems” do NOT classify as extreme circumstances and instructor may
request/require documentation.
Classroom Conduct Policy: Students are expected to conduct themselves in a courteous,
responsible, mature manner in the classroom. This includes being prepared for class;
informing the instructor if you are going to miss class; not coming late, leaving during
class, or leaving early without prior notification and for legitimate reasons; not engaging
in sidebar conversations or being otherwise disruptive in class, harassing or distracting
other students or the instructor, making offensive comments, and turning off cellular
phones during class.
Academic Honesty Policy: Students are expected to conduct themselves in an adult,
ethical, honest and professional way on assignments, research papers, and exams.
Academic dishonesty includes things like: cheating (this includes helping or being helped
on exams or other assignments that are to be done individually), putting your name on
someone else’s work and turning it in as your own, doing work someone else is supposed
to be doing, and plagiarism.
You are responsible for your own work. If an assignment is given and you use an outside
source to complete that assignment, you must cite to that outside source.
Plagiarism and cheating in any form will automatically result in an F (0%) for that
assignment and may result in dismissal from the class, program, and/or the College.
Please note: If you are suspended or expelled from the College for academic dishonesty
your eligibility to receive financial aid from ANY institute of higher education will be
PERMANENTLY affected.
Student Academic Support Services: WVNCC is committed to providing academic
assistance to students to enhance their success. The Academic Success Centers on each
campus provide in-house, FREE tutoring to all enrolled students in various subjects. If
you find that you are struggling in this or any other course, contact the ASC to see how
peer tutors can assist you. Students should call ahead to set up tutoring sessions or request
an appointment through their GradesFirst accounts.
Campus
Wheeling
Weirton
New Martinsville
Location
Room 225B
Room 107
Room 114
Phone
304-214-8922
304-723-7514
304-510-8773
In addition to tutoring through the ASC, Support Services for Students with Disabilities
provides accommodations to students with documented disabilities, per ADA-AA
regulations, at no charge to students. Students must self-identify and should contact
Denise Wycherley, Student Disabilities Coordinator (304-214-8938), or a campus
counselor for information about enrolling for services. Furthermore, students can register
for services beyond those provided per ADA-AA guidelines for a fee through the
C.A.R.E.S. (College Assistance and Resources for Educational Success) program.
Contact Denise to learn more about this valuable service.
Academic Student Support Services also includes initiatives to help students be
successful in their courses. For instance, all students are given a GradesFirst account that
provides them Progress Report notices when they are at risk of failing or being dropped
from a course. The Director of “Academic” Student Support Services, Christina Sullivan,
administers this service and provides counseling to students struggling in school or
thinking about dropping out of coursework. Contact Christina at extension 8853 or
csullivan@wvncc.edu for assistance with GradesFirst or for academic support
information.
Social Justice Policy: WVNCC does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age,
disability, veteran status, color, national origin, religion, or sexual orientation. Any
suggestions as to how to further a positive and open learning environment in this class
will be appreciated and given serious consideration. If you are a person with a physical or
psychological disability and anticipate needing any type of accommodation in order to
participate or succeed in this class, please advise me AND contact the Office of
Disability Services in Wheeling.
Outcomes
The student will:
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Be able to differentiate between legal instruments & legal pleadings
Demonstrate the ability to draft a variety of legal instruments
Demonstrate the ability to draft a variety of legal pleadings
Be able to identify, explain, and/or define a variety of legal terminology
Student Learning Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete Drafting Legal Documents will:
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Identify terms used in criminal law
Identify terms used in law of torts
Define terms used in law of contracts
Explain contract classifications
Explain contract requirements
Define terms used in law of personal property
Define terms used in practice and procedure
Describe the service of process
Explain the steps in beginning a court action
Identify defensive pleadings
Explain the common methods of discovery
Identify terms used in law of wills and estates
Explain the principal clauses in a will
Identify terms used in law of real property
Describe a title search
Define terms used in family law
Identify the various types of business organizations
Explain the nature, types, and functions of legal instruments
Describe legal pleadings in federal practice
Describe legal pleadings in state practice
Identify legal instruments for contract law
Identify legal instruments for real estate law
Identify legal instruments for corporate law
Identify legal instruments for methods of discovery
Identify legal instruments for civil suits