LAWS110 Introduction to Nurse Paralegal Studies
Department of Business, Innovation, and Legal Studies: Business Studies Department Archive
- I. Course Number and Title
- LAWS110 Introduction to Nurse Paralegal Studies Course No Longer Offered
- II. Number of Credits
- 3 credits
- III. Number of Instructional Minutes
- 2250 minutes
- IV. Prerequisites
- Licensed Registered Nurse and 4,000 hours of clinical experience or permission of the Department of Business Studies
- Corequisites
- None
- V. Other Pertinent Information
- None
- VI. Catalog Course Description
- A survey course covering opportunities, ethical considerations, and legal limitations of the paralegal profession and role of the nurse paralegal. This course describes the legal system and substantive areas of law in which the paralegal may work including the areas of litigation, civil and criminal law, and procedural rules.
- VII. Required Course Content and Direction
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Course Learning Goals
- Develop an appreciation of the opportunities in the paralegal profession in general and of the role of the nurse as a paralegal.
- Develop an understanding of the ethical rules and obligations of the paralegal profession and the law on unauthorized practice of law.
- Provide a general knowledge of the elements of civil procedure and practice as it relates to those areas of litigation routinely encountered in the general practice of law.
- An exposure to the practical aspects of working with clients and attorneys in areas of specialization likely to be encountered in a law office.
- Acquisition of knowledge of the function and operation of courts and administration agencies.
- Fundamentals of the business management of a law office, including billing practices, communication with clients, and systemization of law office operations and the use of technology in the paralegal profession.
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Planned Sequence of Topics and/or Learning Activities
- Introduction to the role of the nurse paralegal, opportunities for the nurse paralegal in the law office, and independent practice.
- Career planning and resume building, working in the legal profession, the law office and the law firm, and working in the legal profession versus the medical profession.
- Ethical rules of the paralegal profession, the ABA canons and codes of ethics, and unauthorized practice of law.
- Sources of American law, the American court system, and alternative dispute resolution.
- Legal reasoning and analysis, legal authority, and reading and briefing case law.
- Fundamental legal concepts, contracts-requirements for validity, remedies for breach, UCC-Sales Law Article 2, coverage, differences from common law, Torts-negligence-elements, and property law-ownership and transfer.
- Corporate law and government regulations, law of agency, forms of organization-sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, limitedl liability, company, employment issues, labor law, discrimination in the work place, and consumer regulation and law.
- Court visitation, observance of procedure in court, and observance of personnel in court and the role each serves.
- Civil litigation-before the trial, pleadings-complaint, answer, motion practice, discovery-interrogatories and depositions, trial procedures-pretrial conference, preparing for trial, jury selection, opening statement, Order of presentation, and post trial motions.
- Criminal law and procedures, what is a crime, elements of crimes, constitutional safeguards, criminal procedures-arrest, preliminary hearing, arraignment, motions before trial, discovery, criminal trial procedure, and administrative law and procedures-creation of agencies, rulemaking, judicial review.
- Conducting interviews-interviewing skills, planning the interview, interviewing clients and witnesses, planning and conducting investigations, focusing on who, what and where, investigation and rules of evidence, locating witnesses, and ethical considerations including confidentiality and work product rules.
- Introduction to legal research, primary sources, and secondary sources.
- Computer assisted research, public and propriety on-line legal services, performing a search, differences in the systems, and other on-line search techniques.
- Legal analysis and writing, style, and presentation, citation methods, shepardizing, methods of presentation, office memo style, and court presentation style.
- Review of written assignments and critique, and summary of the course.
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Assessment Methods for Course Learning Goals
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Reference, Resource, or Learning Materials to be used by Student:
See course outline for required textbook
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Review/Approval Date - 5/02