Course Syllabus

 

 

Legal Research Syllabus                     FINAL VERSION

PARA 3020-01

Fall 2016  3 semester hours

Tuesdays 6 – 8:40PM

Law School Library Room 302

The first class meeting will be in Boggs 102.  THE NEXT CLASS WILL BE IN THE TULANE LAW LIBRARY ROOM 302, which is across from the circulation desk.

 

Instructor                                  Marie Erickson            

                                                Phone: 504.948.9979

                                                Email: merickso@tulane.edu

 

Texts:    William H. Putnam and Jennifer R. Albright, Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing, 3d.ed, c 2014, hereafter text..

 

The Bluebook:  a Uniform System of Citation, 20^th ed., hereafter Bluebook.

 

            Objective                                                         Assessment

Understand the organization of a law library	Use of the law library to locate answers to assignments and complete memorandum
Locate and use primary and secondary sources, including statutory, administrative, and case law; locate and use secondary sources; locate and use finding tools such as case digests, and updating tools such as KeyCite	Use of the law library and online sources to find and use these materials to complete assignments and memorandum
Brief a case	Classroom instruction and completing a case brief
Learn correct legal citation formats	Handouts, text, classroom instruction, assignments, memorandum
Learn to use Westlaw, and government Internet sources, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/, www.doa.louisiana.gov/osr  and http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/home.aspx	Classroom instruction (three classes), text, assignments, memorandum
Improve writing skills.  The memorandum is [the final exam.	Diagnostic test, case brief, memorandum

 

 

 

 

 

Instructional Methods Used

 

Lectures, class discussions, hands-on book and online demonstrations, assignments, diagnostic tests, midterm, memorandum.

 

Assignment Policies: I hand out assignments at the beginning of each class.  They are due at the beginning of the next class.  I will deduct 10 points for each week or portion thereof an assignment is late.   Assignments two weeks late or more will get a grade of zero.  Be sure to save all your assignments, exams, and the memorandum in case there is any dispute as to whether all of them have been turned in.

 

Grading Scale:

 

100-94 A; 93-90 A-; 89-87 B+; 88-86 B; 82-80 B-; 79-77 C+; 76-73 C; 69-67 D+; 66-63 D; 62-60 D-; 60 and below: F.

 

Grading:

 

Average of the diagnostic test and all homework assignments                                              40%

Midterm                                                                                                                                   20%

Memorandum, which is the final exam                                                                                   40%

 

Honor Code/Plagiarism:

 

Read the Tulane Code of Academic Conduct at http://tulane.edu/college/code.cfm Assignments must be worked on by yourself.  I will report any violations of the honor code to the Honor Board for review.

 

Miscellaneous

 

If you aren’t accustomed to reading and writing legal stuff, you may have some difficulties.  You will need to read WORD-BY-WORD, because all of the words matter, and it isn’t always possible to assume what the next one is.  I’ll be glad to meet with you if you have problems with the lectures or assignments, or you can go to the Academic Success Center, at (504) 865-5103.  It provides tutoring and writing help.   http://tulane.edu/advising/tasc/peereducators/tutoring.cfm

 

“Tulane University recognizes the inherent dignity of all individuals and promotes respect for all people. As ‘One Wave,’ Tulane is committed to providing an environment free of all forms of discrimination outlined in our University Equal Opportunity/Anti-Discrimination Policies, which includes all forms of sexual and gender-based discrimination and harassment, including sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking. If you (or someone you know) has experienced or is experiencing these types of behaviors, know that you are not alone. Resources and support are available.  Learn more at [titleix.tulane.edu]titleix.tulane.edu and onewave.tulane.edu.  Any and all of your communications on these matters will be treated as either “Confidential” or “Private” as explained in the updated chart below.”

 

 

Confidential	Private
Except in extreme circumstances, involving imminent danger to one’s self or others, nothing will be shared without your explicit permission.	Conversations are kept as confidential as possible, but information is shared with key staff members so the University can offer resources and accommodations and take action if necessary for safety reasons.
Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) | (504) 314-2277 or The Line (24/7) | (504) 264-6074	Case Management & Victim Support Services | (504) 314-2160 or srss@tulane.edu
Student Health Center | (504) 865-5255	Tulane University Police (TUPD) | Uptown - (504) 865-5911.  Downtown – (504) 988-5531
Sexual Aggression Peer Hotline and Education (SAPHE) | (504) 654-9543	Title IX Coordinator | (504) 865-5615 or titleix@tulane.edu

 

 

 

Course Outline

 

Class 1  8/30/2016                    Introduction to the principles of legal research.  Jurisdiction, and how it affects the materials used in legal research.  Diagnostic test (1 hour) Introduction to the Bluebook.

                                                Read for the next class: text pp. 55 – 69 (ignore the pages about the United States Code Service) and 73 – 76 (Stop at administrative law); Bluebook, B12.1 – B12.1.2, pp. 18 - 19 (stop at Procedural Rules, etc.)

 

 

Class 2  9/6/2016                      Statutes/Constitutions/Court Rules/ Citation From/Library tour.

                                                Pick up assignment 1

Read for the next class: text pp. 104 – 122   Do not read beyond the part on digests; Bluebook B10.1 – B10.1.3, pp. 10 – 14

 

Class 3  9/13/2016                    Case law and digests.

                                                Hand in assignment 1.

Pick up assignment 2. 

Review the reading assignment for cases and digests.  Reread the Bluebook pages on citing cases.  See above.

 

Class 4  9/20/2016                    More case law and digests

Hand in assignment 2.

Pick up assignment 3. 

Read for the next class: text pp.76 – 81.  Stop at court rules; and the Bluebook B14, pg. 22

 

Class 5  9/27/2016                    Federal and Louisiana Administrative Regulations and Executive-Branch Law.

                                                Hand in Assignment 3.

                                                Pick up assignment 4.

Read for the next class: text pp.123 - 135 and the case briefing handout.

 

 

Class 6  10/4/2016                    Case Brief.

                                                Hand in assignment 4.

                                                Pick up assignment 5, which is the case brief.

Go over all your assignments so you will be ready for the midterm exam review.

 

Class 7  10/11/2016                  Midterm Review. .

                                                Hand in assignment 5.

                                                No assignment.  Study for the midterm!

Read for the next class: text:  Ch. 16 and 17, pp.481 – 531, especially the examples on pp. 502 and 519 - 520, and the memorandum handout.  Read the Bluebook on the very bottom of pg. B10.1.4 (Westlaw example only) to see how to cite to a case that only has a Westlaw cite.

 

Class 8  10/18/2016                  Midterm.  Memorandum discussion.  Get memorandum facts and WestlawNext IDs.                                          

                                                Start work on the memorandum!

                                                Read for the next class:  text pp. 153-161.  Scan the examples; we’ll be using these sources on Westlaw.  Check out the Westlaw Next video and the Westlaw Next guide.

 

 

Class 9  10/25/2016                  Westlaw Next.   www.municode.com  Basic navigation.  Boolean connectors.  Date restrictors and options/fields.

                                                Pick up assignment 6. 

                                               

 

Class 10  11/1/2016                  Westlaw Next.  Topics and Key numbers.

                                                Hand in assignment 6.

                                                Pick up assignment 7.             

 

 Class 11  11/8/2016                 Westlaw.  KeyCite.  Other useful Internet sites. 

                                                Hand in assignment 7.

                                                Pick up assignment 8.

Read the Bluebook B 16.1 – B16.2, pp. 23 - 24(Law reviews, newspapers), R16.7.6, pg. 168 (A.L.R. annotations), and B18, pp.26 – 27 (Internet).

 

Class 12  11/15/2016                Newspapers and law reviews on Westlaw Next.  ALR on Westlaw Next.  Legislative history.

                                                Hand in assignment 8.

                                                Pick up assignment 9.

Read for the next class: text pp. 192 – 195.  Stop at Research using Legal Periodicals.  This section is out-of-date.  We will be using HeinOnline through the Tulane main library catalog.  Reread the Bluebook pages on citing law reviews.  See above.

 

Class 13  11/22/2016                Law Reviews/HeinOnline/

                                                Hand in assignment 9. 

Pick up assignment 10.

Read for the next class: text pp. 150 – 153, the part about treatises only; and  216  - 218, the part about loose-leaf services only.  Read the Bluebook B15.1 – 15.2, pp. 22 – 23

 

Class 14  11/29/2016                Treatises/Looseleafs/Tulane Law Library online catalog.        

                                                Hand in assignment 10.

                                               

Class 15  12/6/2015                 last class.  Citation review.  Final questions about the memo.

                                   

                                               

MEMO IN LIEU OF FINAL EXAM DUE Tuesday December 13, 2016 no later than midnight.  Email it to merickso@tulane.edu by midnight December 8, 2015.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tulane syllabus fall 2016