Legal Research

Participation in the Seminar is a very important part of this course. It is the one chance that you have each week to interact with your classmates and your instructor real-time. Seminar is a great opportunity to cover course material in a fun and dynamic forum. You are able to discuss what you have learned in each unit and ask questions about topics that you do not yet understand. Please review your course Syllabus for more information regarding Seminars.

Topic: This week, you will be introduced to legal research. Much of what you discuss this week should be a review from PA205. You will be reviewing the United States Legal System and the type of laws each branch of government makes.

You will learn the types of legal authority (primary and secondary sources) and about our dual system of law (federal and state). You will begin reviewing The Bluebook, which describes how to cite cases so that attorneys, judges, and others reading a legal document can learn basic information about the cases and other authorities you cite and be able to retrieve them.

Alternative Seminar Assignment:

Your attendance at the weekly Seminar for this course is very important. The Seminar is an excellent source of information and explanation of the weekly material in this course. However, if you are unable to attend the Seminar, you can still learn the information that was provided and also earn the Seminar points. In order to earn the Seminar points, you must complete an alternative assignment and submit it as a Word document attached to an e-mail. Send the e-mail to your professor within 1 week of the Seminar. The professor has the right to reject late alternative assignments. The alternative assignment must provide at least a clear synopsis of the material covered at the Seminar along with your analysis of that material. It should be no less than 2 pages and no longer than 3 pages and must be submitted within 7 days of the missed Seminar