Fall, 2004

Instructor: Paul Hodapp
Office: Weber House (1015 20th St.)
Telephone: 351-2574
Office Hours: TR 1:00-3:15 p.m. and by appointment
E-mail: paul.hodapp@unco.edu

Course Objectives

The primary aim of this course is to teach you to write clearly and to do legal research quickly. We will spend the first ten weeks working on writing skills. Then we will work in the library, primarily on the computers in the reference section to learn legal research.

Because legal writing and research are practical skills, I will not lecture on these topics. But we will spend class time working on the assignments. The format of each class period will be as follows. Some of you will explain the assignment on the board. After a brief introduction to the next assignment, I will spend the remaining time helping those who need help. It is imperative that all of you ask questions whenever the material becomes confusing. The writing assignments are optional. You must hand in the writing assignments at the beginning of class before the discussion. Each satisfactory exercise will earn one point toward the writing exam. The research assignments are not optional and must be handed in on the date they are due. They are worth 3 points each. You may work in groups of no more than two students.

The texts are Plain English for Lawyers by Wydick and Legal Research by Elias and Levinkind. Both books are available at the Book Stop, 10th Ave. and 16th St. We may use material from Strunk and White, Elements of Style.

The writing exam will count 60% of your final grade There will be approximately 10 daily research assignments, which will total 30% of your grade. A final research exam will count 10% of your grade. A final score of 90+ points will earn an A; 80–89 will earn a B; etc.

Students with disabilities who need an accommodation should see me as soon as possible.

The syllabus is subject to revision during the semester.

Any cheating may result in the grade of F for the class.

Outline

1. Introduction to class. Read ch. 1 of Wydick.
2. I will explain ex. 1 in Wydick and we will start the exercise in class. Do exercises 1 and 1A.
3. 1 & 1A due. Students will do sample problems on the board. I will explain ex. Exs. 2 and 2A are due at the next class period.
4. 2 and 2A due. We continue this class format through ex. 18.
5. 3 and 3A due. Cont.
6. 4 and 4A due. Cont.
7. 5 and 5A due. Cont.
8. 6 and 6A due. Cont.
9. 7 and 7A due. Cont.
10. 8 and 8A due. Cont.
11. 9 and 9A due. Cont.
12. 10 and 10A due. Cont.
13. 11 and 11A due. Cont.
14. 12 and 12A due. Cont.
15. 13 and 13A due. Cont.
16. 14 and 14A due. Cont.
17. 15 and 15A due. Cont.
18. 16 and 16A due. Cont.
19. 17 and 17A due. Cont.
20. 18 and 18A due. Cont.
21. WRITING EXAM. SHORT EXERCISES FROM THE WYDICK BOOK
22. Meet in Michener Library at the computers on the first floor for legal research assignments. Each assignment will be due the next class period from the date we work on the assignment.
23. Continue research assignments
24. Continue research assignments
25. Continue research assignments
26. Continue research assignments
27. Continue research assignments
28. Continue research assignments
29. Continue research assignments
30. Continue research assignments
    FINAL EXAMINATION. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE LEGAL RESEARCH BOOK