Introduction to the U.S. Legal System

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1 Center for Legal & Court Technology William & Mary Law School P.O. Box 8795 Williamsburg, Virginia (757) Fax: (757) Introduction to the U.S. Legal System A Blended E-Learning Professional Development Certificate Course Presented by William & Mary Law School s Center for Legal and Court Technology Am erica s oldest law school! For those without US law degrees who are interested in understanding the US legal system June 24, 2013

2 William & Mary Law School and CLCT Located in historic Williamsburg, Virginia, William & Mary School of Law is the nation s oldest law school. The academic home of George Wythe, who was appointed by Thomas Jefferson as the first law professor in the United States, William & Mary has trained leaders of the bench and bar for generations. A joint initiative of the Law School and the National Center for State Courts, the Center for Legal and Court Technology (CLCT) is the world center for courtroom and related technology. Course overview The course is intended for non-lawyers interested in knowing more about American law and the U.S. legal system. This includes those working in legally related positions, business professionals, non-u.s. judges and lawyers, and those contemplating law school. Introduction to the U.S. Legal System is presented by William & Mary Law School s Center for Legal and Court Technology. It is expressly designed for those people who want or need to know more about how law and the U.S. legal system works as well as how judges and lawyers think. The course will begin with an intensive three day in-residence period at William & Mary Law th th School on August 9-11, This will provide an extensive introduction to the United States legal system and also will permit students to meet each other and the faculty so that later and other technology-based discussions can take place more easily. The course will then move into its on-line format with two on-line web-based classes presented live most weeks, starting th Monday, August 26, and archived for those who will be unable to attend a given class. questions and on-line discussion are encouraged. The three day residential period is especially important. However, those who cannot attend - especially those not residing in the United States -will have access to recorded content if they can show good cause for non-attendance. There may be an optional additional five day residential extension available at the end of the course, primarily for non U.S. students, that will provide additional detail and an opportunity to visit national legal institutions in Washington, D.C. The National Center for State Courts will provide optional add-on classes in rule-of-law, designed primarily for legal professionals from outside the United States. Course registration will include LEXIS/NEXIS access for course related work for the semester. A Certificate of Successful Completion will be issued to every student who successfully completes a series of short quizzes and the assigned legal research and writing requirements.

3 Who may wish to attend? The faculty Congressional and state legislative staffers Legal system professionals including court and administrative agency staff and court reporters and paralegals Business people who need to understand the legal environment Legal technology company staff including e-discovery and litigation support firm members and sales and marketing staff interested in better understanding court and legal organization customers Journalists Non-United States residents interested in learning more about the United States legal system and American law Potential future law students interested in better preparing themselves for law school The principal instructor will be William & Mary Law School Chancellor Professor of Law Fredric Lederer, Director of the Center for Legal and Court Technology. Professor Lederer is a former prosecutor, defense counsel, and trial judge. Depending on the semester, Professor Lederer teaches evidence, criminal procedure, technology augmented trial advocacy, electronic discovery and data seizures, and military law. For 25 years he taught in the Law School s award winning Legal Skills program, which he helped create. Professor Lederer will be assisted by William & Mary Adjunct Professor Christine Williams, Associate Director of the Center for Legal and Court Technology, and Adjunct Professor Melissa Conner, Assistant Director of the Center for Legal and Court Technology Professor Williams teaches Internet Law and Bioethics at William & Mary, and Professor Conner teaches E-Commerce and Professional Responsibility. Both Professor Williams and Professor Conner taught in the Legal Skills Program as well. The Rule of Law optional instruction will be taught primarily by Jeff Apperson, Vice President, International, of the National Center for State Courts. Mr. Apperson, an attorney, is an extraordinarily knowledgeable and experienced court administrator well-known throughout the world.

4 The course faculty will be assisted by CLCT s outstanding student staff who will serve as teaching assistants. Technology needs Students will need only a modern computer capable of internet access with audio-video capabilities. A webcam is recommended but not required. Note that an adequate connection to the Internet is necessary. Cost Full course: $2, Federal Court Clerks Association Cost 2, Only residential portion 1, Only residential portion and Part One: 2, Optional Rule of Law Optional post-course residential program primarily for non-us students Pending To register, go to:

5 Detailed curriculum th th Residential component - August 8-11, 2013 Thursday evening, August 8 th Welcome reception Friday, August 9 th Introduction to the program; role of law in US society Introduction to common law development - US style Case briefing Introduction to American lawyers, function, regulation, and roles 3 hours.5 hour 1.5 hours Friday evening, August 9 th Program dinner - Great Hall if available Saturday, August 10 th Understanding precedent and how common law works Introduction to legal analysis and legal writing Lawyer-client relationships - an interview Evening assignment due Sunday- first memo 4 hours Sunday, August 11 th Analysis of the first memo assignment Introduction to law libraries, legal authority retrieval, citations Introduction to LEXIS Lawyers, courts, and legal professionals and technology; McGlothlin Courtroom demonstration Conclusion 2 hours 1.5 hour 20 hours

6 Non residential - distance learning All classes are 60 minutes; we assume that classes will be taught Mondays and Wednesdays Part One - Law and the Legal System Week of (starting on Mondays) th August 12 - No class th August 19 -No class August 26 th Statutes and statutory interpretation The structure and role of the US Constitution; separation of powers nd September 2 Federal and state court structures, including roles of judges and court administrators Courts as business enterprises, structure, goals, purchasing September 9 th Federalism Judicial review, including federal review of state court proceedings; political question doctrine September 16 th Judges, sources, ethics, duties, personalities The nature of the regulatory environment: the role of administrative law and judicial review of administrative decisions September 23 rd Legal problem solving; legal writing Introduction to basic legal research September 30 th Finding legal authorities and determining their importance Understanding and dealing with lawyers

7 Part Two - Litigation and Substantive Law October 7 th Overview of litigation - civil procedure and the pretrial process; alternatives to court disposition: alternative dispute resolution Discovery and E-discovery in brief October 14 th Overview of criminal procedure Trial procedure and practice including the role of courtroom technology October 21 st Overview of evidence Relevancy & legal relevance (constraints on admissibility) October 28 th Hearsay Overview of appeals November 4 th Overview of torts Overview of property November 11 th Overview of contracts Overview of intellectual property November 18 th st Overview of the 1 Amendment - speech and religion Overview of search and seizure November 25 th Overview of US business organizations & conclusion Optional NCSC Rule of Law Programming Access to justice approaches Transparency and the Rule of Law; Building Public Confidence Court Budgeting: Balancing Need With Appropriations The Trend to Develop National Institutes for Court Excellence Possible Optional Post Course Residential Option (for foreign participants) - pending

Department of Legal Assistant Education THE SOONER DOCKET. Enroll Now for Spring 2018 Courses! American Bar Association Approved

Department of Legal Assistant Education THE SOONER DOCKET Enroll Now for Spring 2018 Courses! American Bar Association Approved Vol. 40, No. 2 November 2017 Legal Assistant Education Schedule SPRING 2018