Introduction to Legal Methods - FALL 2009 DAY STUDENTS
7/10/09
Your grade in this course consists of five components: (1) your score on the contracts brief and rule synthesis
assignment (5%); (2) your score on the criminal law brief and rule synthesis assignment (10%); (3) your score
on the civil procedure briefs and rule synthesis assignment (10%); (4) your score on the practice exam, including
outline (10%); and (5) your score on the final exam (65%).
REQUIRED TEXT: Law School Exams: Preparing and Writing to Win (Aspen 2007) by Charles R. Calleros which can
be purchased at The Law Bookstore located at 1775 W La Palma Ave, Anaheim, CA 92801, Phone: (714) 491-2665
or from the publisher at
http://www.aspenpublishers.com/Product.asp?catalog_name=Aspen&product_id=073556356X.
Assignment Requirement: All briefs for this course are limited to 1.3 pages or less, using 12 Times New Roman
font, single spacing, and 1 inch margins. (.3 pages equals 16 lines or less, including blank lines between typing
lines). There will be deductions for failure to follow these requirements.
STUDENTS SHOULD COMPLETE ALL ASSIGNED READINGS FROM THE CALLEROS TEXT BEFORE CLASS BEGINS.
Date
Day 1
Wed., Aug. 5,
9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.
Topic
Introductions and ice breaker. Getting
ready for law school. Class preparation
and participation. Analyzing statutes.
Brief Dupler v. Seubert as class. Brief
Lopez v. Winchell's Donuts House in
pairs.
Reading Assignment
Writing Assignment
(to complete prior to class)
(due in class)
Read: Law School Exams:
Preparing and Writing to Win
Chapters 1 - 4. Read the
following torts cases from
your student packet: Dupler
v. Seubert ; Lopez v.
Winchell’s Donut House, and
McCann v. Wal-Mart Stores,
Inc.
1:00 - 4:00
p.m.
Discuss Lopez v. Winchell's Donuts
House as class. Brief McCann v. WalMart Stores in pairs then discuss as
class. Synthesizing rules. Rule synthesis
of Dupler v. Seubert, Lopez v. Winchell’s
Donut House , and McCann v. Wal-Mart
Read: Law School Exams:
Stores, Inc. False imprisonment review Preparing and Writing to Win
exercises. Outlining course materials.
Chapters 5- 6
Brief and synthesize a
rule for the following
Discuss Owen v. Tunison and Fairmount
contract cases from your
Glass Works v. Crunden-Martin
student packet: Owen v.
Wodenware Co. briefs. Peer review of
Tunison and Fairmount
Fairmount Glass Works v. CrundenGlass Works v. CrundenMartin Wodenware Co. Rule synthesis of
Martin Wodenware Co.
Owen v. Tunison and Fairmount Glass
These briefs are worth
Works v. Crunden-Martin Wodenware Co.
5% of your grade.
Contracts review exercises. Know your
Bring two copies of
audience. Taking law school exams:
getting primed for the task; techniques
Day 2
Fairmount Glass
Read: Law School Exams:
Thurs., Aug. 6, common to all essay questions; factWorks v. Crundenbased essay questions with uncertain
Preparing and Writing to Win Martin Wodenware Co.
9:00 a.m. answers.
Chapters 7-10
12:00 p.m.
brief.
1:00 - 4:00
p.m.
Exam Writing Workshop Part I. Exam
taking strategies. Write practice exam on
Dupler v. Seubert, Lopez v. Winchell’s
Donut House, and McCann v. Wal-Mart
Stores, Inc. in pairs. Discuss exam as
class and review sample answer. Write
practice exam on Owen v. Tunison and
Fairmount Glass Works v. CrundenMartin Wodenware Co. in pairs.
Fri., Aug. 7
NO CLASS - STUDY DAY
Sat., Aug. 8,
9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.
MANDATORY ORIENTATION - you
will be directed to a room when you
arrive
Receive back graded briefs and rule of
Owen v. Tunison and Fairmount Glass
Works v. Crunden-Martin Wodenware Co.
Brief and synthesize a
rule for the following
criminal law cases
from your student
packet: Freddo v.
State, State v.
Thornton, and People
v. Berry . Briefs are
due at Orientation by
no later than 9:00 a.m.
These briefs are 10%
of your grade.
Day 3
Mon., Aug. 10,
8:30 a.m. COURT VISIT - DETAILS WILL BE
12:00 p.m.
PROVIDED AT ORIENTATION
1:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.
Student panel; student organizations
presentation and sign-ups: Blasser,
Daucher, Sheppard students go to
Room 102; Zuber, Sobel, Roberts
students go to Room 110.
Day 4
Tues, Aug. 11,
9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.
12:00 - 1:00
p.m.
Receive back graded briefs and rule of
Freddo v. State, State v. Thornton, and
People v. Berry. Discuss offer practice
exam as class and review sample answer.
Taking law school exams: essay
questions of a different kind; objective
questions. Discuss briefs of Freddo v.
State, State v. Thornton, and People v.
Berry . Peer review of People v. Berry
brief. Rule synthesis of Freddo v. State , Read: Law School Exams:
State v. Thornton , and People v. Berry . Preparing and Writing to Win
Exam Writing Workshop Part II.
Chapters 11-12
ALL SCHOOL BBQ ON WALKWAY BY
THE LIBRARY
1:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.
Manslaughter review exercises.
Individually write practice exam on
Freddo v. State, State v. Thornton , and
People v. Berry. Discuss practice exam
as class and review sample answer.
Discuss briefs of Keeton v. Hustler
Magazine and Calder v. Jones .
Additional practice exams will be
made available on reserve at the
library beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Brief and synthesize a
rule for the following
civil procedure cases
contained in your
student packet:
Keeton v. Hustler
Magazine and Calder
v. Jones . These briefs
and rule are worth
10% of your grade.
Rule synthesis of Keeton v. Hustler
Magazine and Calder v. Jones . Civil
procedure review exercises.
Individually write graded one-hour
practice exam on Keeton v. Hustler
Magazine and Calder v. Jones (10%
Day 5
Wed., Aug. 12, of your grade). Peer review of practice
exam. Discuss practice exam as class
9:00 a.m. and view sample answer.
12:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.
Individually write two-hour practice
exam. Discuss practice exam and view
sample answer. Review exam taking
strategies. Q & A.
Thurs., Aug. 13 NO CLASS - STUDY DAY
Day 6
Fri., Aug. 14,
9:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m.
Graded briefs and rule of Keeton v.
Hustler Magazine and Calder v. Jones
and civil procedure practice exam will be
available for pick-up on the third floor by
9:00 a.m.
FINAL EXAM and course evaluation
Final exam is 65% of
your grade.