Paralegal
Certificate
Curriculum
All six of
the following Paralegal Certificate modules must be successfully
completed with a grade of “C” or above.
Introduction
to Law for Paralegals
This
introductory module in the certificate provides a general
introduction to law with an emphasis on the role of the paralegal
in the firm or organization. Topics covered include:
- General
concepts of the law
- The
American system of law (constitutional, statutory, tort)
- Court
systems and procedures
Legal
Research and Writing
Provides
students the fundamentals for basic legal research and writing.
Some of these fundamentals include:
- Reviewing
the American legal system
- Researching
primary and secondary legal authority
- Reviewing
the rules of citation
- Introducing
research and writing strategies
Students
are required to research and draft legal documents. Students
conduct legal research using the following sources: LexisNexis
online, the University of Delaware’s Morris Library in Newark,
local law libraries.
Civil
Procedure
This
module defines the paralegal’s role in the litigation process,
from initial client interview to appeal. Topics of study include:
- Fact
investigation
- Draft
pleadings
- Summary
and control of documents and deposition transcripts
- Pre-trial
organization
- Post-trial
considerations
The course
also reviews the structure and jurisdiction of federal and
state courts, providing instruction on how to use the Federal
Rules of Civil Procedure.
Torts
Provides
students with a basic understanding of tort law, which applies
to civil wrongs other than breaches of contract. Students
study and analyze:
- General
concepts
- Preliminary
issues
- Strict
liability
- Product
liability
- Negligence
- Defamation
and related issues
- Pertinent
defuses and remedies to these torts
Students
also utilize and enhance their legal research and writing
skills in the field of torts.
Contract Law
This
module includes learning how binding contracts are formed
and how to understand them. Topics covered include pitfalls
that can make contracts invalid as well as the defenses which
may allow a party to avoid having to fulfill obligations under
a valid contract. It also covers how to calculate damages
for breaches of contract. The module provides instruction
in how to draft typical clauses that appear in many contracts.
Criminal
Law and Procedure
Focuses
on the procedural and substantive areas of common law crimes.
Topics covered will address some of the issues that emanate
from the fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth Amendments of the
Constitution of the United States. The areas of criminal law
that are covered include:
- General
concepts
- Homicide
- Crimes
against people
- Crimes
against property
- Theft
crimes
- The
respective defenses of the above areas
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