MWCC College Catalog 2008-2009 — Paralegal
PLS101 INTRODUCTION TO LAW
3 credits
This course introduces the student to basic legal concepts, principles, and
procedures. It is designed to provide the student with an understanding of
the structure of the U.S. legal system, including the role of the judicial,
legislative, and executive branches; the history of law in the United States;
the role of attorneys, paralegals, law enforcement, and other legal professionals;
basic categories of law; litigation principles; and alternative dispute resolution.
In addition, students will be introduced to a wide variety of ethical standards
that apply in the legal community. Prerequisites: ENG100, RDG100, or placement.
PLS104 INTRODUCTION TO FAMILY LAW
3 credits
This course reviews the substantive and procedural law relative to divorce,
adoption, guardianship, custody, and other family law matters within the
jurisdiction of the Probate Court. Topics include the legal status of children,
legal rights of women, and illegitimacy and paternity proceedings, as well
as divorce procedure and child custody and support issues. Students will
be introduced to contract law as its principles are specifically applied
to ante nuptial agreements, separation agreements, and surrogacy agreements.
Related areas of law such as juvenile, criminal, and tort law are also discussed,
as are relevant administrative agency regulations. Legal concepts will be
applied to particular factual situations, thus developing and enhancing critical
skills such as analysis. Prerequisites: ENG100, RDG100, or placement.
PLS106 INTRODUCTION TO REAL ESTATE LAW
3 credits
This course familiarizes students with the substantive area of real estate
and property law. Fundamental legal principles are discussed in the context
of business practices in the real estate industry. Topics include purchase
and sales agreements, mortgages, leases, recording, easements, and deeds.
The traditional law of property rights is discussed as well as recent developments
in statutory and case law. Prerequisites: ENG100, RDG100, or placement.
PLS110 LITIGATION
3 credits
This course introduces students to the law office and the steps and tasks involved
in civil litigation, the process in which one person sues another person
in a court of law to enforce a right or seek a remedy such as financial compensation.
Students will learn the role of the litigation paralegal throughout an entire
case. This includes investigation and gathering of facts, discovery, trial
support, and judgment enforcement. Study will be made of the procedural rules
that facilitate the fair resolution of conflicts and the substantive law
that forms the basis of the rights and remedies protected by the civil litigation
system. Prerequisites: ENG100, RDG100, or placement.
PLS220 INSURANCE LAW
3 credits
This course provides students with an understanding of the fundamental principles
and doctrines of insurance law. The course develops general understanding
of basic concepts and encourages the critical evaluation of the insurance
law rules. Topics include fundamentals of insurance principles and basic
legal doctrines. The student will gain an understanding of the public policy
interests that influence specific laws, doctrines, or rules. Analysis is
performed of court-formulated rules that regulate the relationship between
insurers and persons who are applying for insurance, have acquired insurance,
or are identified as beneficiaries under a contract of insurance. Particular
emphasis is placed on problems presented by insurance for health or medical
expenses and motor vehicles. Prerequisites: ENG100, RDG100, or placement.
PLS230 THE LAW OF TORTS
3 credits
This course introduces the student to the fundamentals of torts law, civil
wrongs that have caused harm to person or property. Specific causes of action,
elements of torts, and prima facie cases are discussed in the context of
the three categories of torts: routine personal injury, high-stakes personal
injury, and mass latent-injury. An emphasis will be placed on the development
of analytical skills and the application of legal concepts to particular
factual situations. Prerequisites: ENG100, RDG100, or placement.
PLS250 LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING I
4 credits
This course introduces the students to the basics of legal research and writing.
Students will learn how to analyze a problem, develop a research strategy,
access information using primary and secondary sources, and draft legal documents.
A functional approach to research is stressed, and emphasis is placed on
development of the skills necessary to find and understand case law, statutes,
administrative regulations, and constitutional law. Students will be introduced
to both the computer-aided research, including the Internet and CD systems,
and book-based research. Prerequisite: ENG101.
PLS251 LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING II
3 credits
This course reviews and expands on the basic legal research sources and skill
provided in PLS250 Legal Research and Writing I. Students work specifically
with legal research materials such as cases, codes, rules and regulations,
and practice effective legal writing by creating legal documents. It provides
the student with a systematic approach to learning legal analysis, organization,
and writing. The process is sequentially structured so that students may
concentrate on mastering each necessary skill before proceeding on to another.
Students are provided with an opportunity to develop their writing abilities
with specific focus on the preparation of briefs, pleadings, and legal documents.
Prerequisite: PLS250.
PLS262 ESTATE PLANNING
3 credits
This course is an introduction to wills, trusts, and estates. Topics include
intestacy, estate administration, estate taxes, and the use of wills and
trusts to plan disposition of one’s estate. The probate process including
the probating of a will, contested proceedings, and administration of an
estate is studied. Students will draft associated legal documents such as
wills and specialized trusts. Prerequisites: ENG100, RDG100, or placement.
PLS265 PARALEGAL PRACTICUM
3 credits
Students will be placed in a paralegal work environment such as private law
firms, courthouses, state and local government agencies, or state and municipal
government offices depending on their area of interest. In exchange for credit,
students will complete a 120-hour practicum. Students will participate in
a variety of activities normally associated with paralegal employment in
the specific field chosen by the student. This typically includes obtaining
client intake information, performing litigation support, conducting legal
research, and preparing legal documents such as mortgages and deeds. Prerequisites:
ENG101, PLS250 or permission of instructor. Fall and spring.
PLS270 LEGAL STUDIES SEMINAR
3 credits
This course is structured to help students integrate knowledge from across
the legal studies curriculum in preparation for the student’s transition
to working as paralegals or continuing their legal education. Students will
integrate and apply knowledge related to substantive and procedural legal
topics from an interdisciplinary perspective. The students will integrate
and apply knowledge, theory, and understanding developed from their previous
course work in the legal studies program. Students will complete at least
one major research and writing project that will require at least one oral
class presentation. Prerequisites: ENG102, PLS101, PLS104, PLS110, PLS250,
BUS211.