Standard |
PLS 101 - Introduction To Law and
Ethics
Emphasizes the American legal system, the role of the lawyer and legal assistant within that system, and the ethical obligations imposed upon attorneys and legal assistants. Topics include: survey of American jurisprudence, code of professional responsibility and ethics overview, legal reasoning and problem solving, and introduction to sources of law and legal vocabulary.
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Competency Areas |
Hours
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Survey of American Jurisprudence |
Class |
5 |
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Code of Professional Responsibility and Ethics Overview |
D. Lab |
0 |
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Legal Reasoning and Problem Solving |
P. Lab/O.B.I. |
0 |
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Introduction to Sources of Law and Legal Vocabulary |
Credit |
5 |
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Prerequisite: |
Provisional admission |
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Corequisite: |
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Course Guide |
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Competency |
After completing this
section, the student will: |
Hours |
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Class |
D.Lab |
P.Lab/ O.B.I. |
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American legal system survey |
10 |
0 |
0 |
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American legal system survey |
Explain the way that legal rules develop in the American legal system, including the doctrines of precedent and stare decisis and the role of policy in judicial decision-making. |
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Court systems |
Describe the structure of federal and state court systems. |
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CODE OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS OVERVIEW |
10 |
0 |
0 |
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Paralegal ethics |
Interpret the ABA Code of Professional Responsibility and the Georgia Code of Professional Responsibility. |
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Describe the particular ethical obligations of attorneys and paralegals that affect the role of the legal assistant in the law office, including rules regarding the attorney-client relationship, confidentiality, conflict of interest, and the unauthorized practice of law. |
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Roles |
Describe the role of the lawyer and paralegal in the American legal system. |
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LEGAL REASONING AND PROBLEM SOLVING |
15 |
0 |
0 |
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Legal analysis |
Engage in legal reasoning and problem solving. |
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Apply rules of law to particular facts. |
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INTRODUCTION TO SOURCES OF LAW AND LEGAL VOCABULARY |
15 |
0 |
0 |
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Legal terminology |
Define legal terms commonly used in American law. |
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Statutes |
Read a statute. Analyze a statute. |
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Constitutional, statutory, judicial, and regulatory interrelationships |
Explain the relationship between constitutional, statutory, judicial, and regulatory law. |
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Suggested Resources |
Suggested Resources include textbooks shown below or most
current edition.
Statsky, W. P. (1987). The regulation of paralegals: Ethics, professional responsibility, and other forms of control. St Paul: West.
ABA Journal
American Lawyer
Fulton County Daily Report
Georgia State Bar Journal
Legal Economics
Legal Professional
National Paralegal Professional
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