CAL NORTHERN SCHOOL OF LAW
SYLLABUS - Spring 2016
COURSE:
COURSE NO.:
UNITS:
TIME:
INSTRUCTOR:
CLINICAL-SELF HELP CENTER
315
3
Tuesdays, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Melanie Snider, Attorney at Law
Email: Mel4law@aol.com
Phone: (916) 628-8727
Availability: By appointment, before class or at another
mutually-convenient time. Please use email, if
possible, to schedule a meeting.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Prior to the first day of instruction you will be required to obtain
the following forms packets:
Dissolution with Children;
Establishing a Parental Relationship;
Petition for Custody and Support;
Request for Orders;
Unlawful Detainer-Landlord’s packet;
Unlawful Detainer-Tenant’s packet; and
Small Claims
Students can obtain these forms packets prior to the start of the semester if desired at the Butte
County Superior Court clerk’s office located at 1775 Concord Ave. Chico, CA or 1 Court St.
Oroville, CA. The packets cost $2 each. These forms are also available in electronic format, at
www.courts.ca.gov. They are available for free on that website. Students should be prepared to
bring a laptop to class each session.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The objective of this course is to provide a hands-on experience by
providing students with an opportunity to assist self-represented litigants in a clinical setting by
providing legal research, drafting court paperwork, and assisting self-represented litigants to
understand upcoming court procedures.
COURSE GOALS AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Course Goals:
I. Doctrinal Knowledge
a. Substantive Law
b. Underlying policy and jurisprudence
II. Critical Thinking
a. Statute and Case Analysis-comprehending and evaluating arguments, comparing
and contrasting cases, and synthesizing law
b. Problem Analysis-application of law to new factual contexts
c. Problem Solving-creative thinking, analogizing, recognizing policy objectives
Clinical Self-Help Syllabus, Spring 2016
Page 5
III. Communication Skills
a. Oral/Written Communication-Ability to orally and/or in writing present factual
information and to persuasively argue the law as applied to facts
IV. Professionalism
a. Ethical obligations, appropriate demeanor, rules of civility
Student Learning Outcomes:
Specific student learning outcomes shall include the following:
1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the rules and requirements of all
substantive areas of practice under California law.
2. Students will identify and explain underlying public policy concerns as it relates to
the topic.
3. Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze cases and/or statues.
4. Students will demonstrate the ability to apply the law to new factual contexts as
presented by self-represented litigants attending the evening clinic.
GRADING: This is a credit/no credit course.
ATTENDANCE:
Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class. Regular and
punctual attendance is required. The school’s policy for attendance should be consulted if there
are questions.
COURSE STRUCTURE AND ASSIGNMENTS: Your professor reserves the right to
revise this Syllabus in any way at any time. The first four weeks of instruction will be in a
classroom setting and you will learn how to properly fill out the court forms required for use in
family law, small claims and landlord/tenant disputes. The remaining twelve weeks will be
devoted to assisting self-represented litigants to fill out their paperwork and to prepare for their
hearings in family, landlord/tenant, and small claims, and-time permitting-drafting points and
authorities in the various subjects.
This semester will allow you to develop client management skills by allowing you to apply law
you learned prior to attending this class using the skills you obtain during the first weeks of this
class.
The objective of this class is to give the students an opportunity to develop practical skills by
allowing them to meet with litigants and to apply their knowledge to real cases in a clinical
setting. The students will assist the litigants in preparing paperwork, providing legal research,
and helping the self-represented litigant to understand the legal process they must maneuver.
Section 1: Weeks 1-4 will require you to complete written assignments. You will be required to
submit the completed assignment at the beginning of next class. You may use the website
www.courts.ca.gov to obtain and fill out the forms that will be required. Allow 2-3 hours per
subject for preparation during the first three weeks.
Clinical Self-Help Syllabus, Spring 2016
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Section 2: Weeks 5-15 will require you to interview litigants, assess their case so that you can
guide them to fill out the proper paperwork and to understand the court process they will be
undergoing. Assist litigants by providing any legal research they may need. Assist future
litigants by researching and drafting points and authorities that may be useful or necessary to
them.
SCHEDULE: Please note the schedule is subject to revision.
DATE
1/5/16
LECTURE
SUBJECT
1) May I Help You?
Understanding the Role of
Self Help Center Staff.
2) Overview of family law;
3) Fee Waivers
PROFESSOR’S ASSIGNMENT
OBJECTIVES
Class will be divided into groups
and assigned forms to prepare
for presentation and the
beginning of next class
I, III
Group 1: Forms: FL-100; FL-105;
FL-110; FL-115; FL-117; FL-120
1/12/16
1/19/16
1) Establishing Parentage;
2) Petitions for Custody and
Support and finding the
differences between (1) and
(2);
3) Understanding
Custody/Visitation and
Support Issues
1) Law and Motion versus long
cause;
2) Judgments-Disso;
Parentage;
Group 2: Forms: FL-150; FL-160
(x2) FL-140; FL-141; FW-001;
FW-003
Group 1: Forms: FL-200; FL105;FL-210; FL-220; FL-260; FL270
I, III
Group 2: Forms: FL-300; FL-311;
FL-320; FL-335
Group 1: Forms: FL-165; FL-170;
FL-180; FL-182; FL-190; FL-192;
FL-341; FL-342; FL-343; FL-345;
Signature Page; FC §4065 waiver.
I, III
Group 2: Forms: FL-130; Prepare
a Pretrial Statement, Exhibit List,
Marked Exhibits, Witness List
1/26/16
1) Small Claims and Landlord
Tenant
2) Special Issues: Summary
Dissolution; Active Duty
Military; Location of Party
for Service-Publication and
Posting
Group 1: Forms: FL-130(a); FL980; FL-982; SC-100; SC-104
I,III
Group 2: Forms: FL-800; FL-810;
FL-825
Clinical Self-Help Syllabus, Spring 2016
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DATE
LECTURE
SUBJECT
2/2/16
CLINIC OPENS
2/9/16
Clinical
2/16/16
Clinical
2/23/16
Clinical
3/1/16
Clinical
3/8/16
Clinical
3/15/16
SPRING BREAK
3/22/16
Clinical
3/29/16
Clinical
PROFESSOR’S ASSIGNMENT
Interview, analyze case facts and
assist litigant to properly complete
forms, research applicable law as
necessary; prepare points and
authorities as needed
Interview, analyze case facts and
assist litigant to properly complete
forms, research applicable law as
necessary; prepare points and
authorities as needed
Interview, analyze case facts and
assist litigant to properly complete
forms, research applicable law as
necessary; prepare points and
authorities as needed
OBJECTIVES
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
Interview, analyze case facts and
assist litigant to properly complete
forms, research applicable law as
necessary; prepare points and
authorities as needed
Interview, analyze case facts and
assist litigant to properly complete
forms, research applicable law as
necessary; prepare points and
authorities as needed
Interview, analyze case facts and
assist litigant to properly complete
forms, research applicable law as
necessary; prepare points and
authorities as needed
I, II, III, IV
Interview, analyze case facts and
assist litigant to properly complete
forms, research applicable law as
necessary; prepare points and
authorities as needed
Interview, analyze case facts and
assist litigant to properly complete
forms, research applicable law as
necessary; prepare points and
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
Clinical Self-Help Syllabus, Spring 2016
Page 5
DATE
4/5/16
LECTURE
SUBJECT
Clinical
4/12/16
Clinical
4/19/16
Clinical
authorities as needed
PROFESSOR’S ASSIGNMENT
Interview, analyze case facts and
assist litigant to properly complete
forms, research applicable law as
necessary; prepare points and
authorities as needed
Interview, analyze case facts and
assist litigant to properly complete
forms, research applicable law as
necessary; prepare points and
authorities as needed
Interview, analyze case facts and
assist litigant to properly complete
forms, research applicable law as
necessary; prepare points and
authorities as needed
OBJECTIVES
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
Clinical Self-Help Syllabus, Spring 2016
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