Spring, 2004

Instructor: Paul Hodapp
Office: Weber House (1015 20th St.)
Telephone: 351-2574
Office Hours: T/Th: 9:30-10:30, 2:00-3:00 & 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 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. You will hand in the assignment at the beginning of class. Some of you will explain some of the assignment on the board. After a brief introduction to the 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. If you wish, I will return your assignment at the end of class so that you may revise it for the next class period.

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 also use material from Terrell, Thinking like a Writer, Garner, Legal Writing in Plain English (available on line), and Strunk and White, Elements of Style.

There will be approximately 25 daily assignments worth 4 points each. 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 beginning of 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. Selected exercises to be determined
22. The same continued
23. Meet in Michener Library for legal research assignments, which I will hand out later. Each assignment will be due the next class period from the date we work on the assignment.
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