LEGS 1150 - Introduction to Law and the Legal Profession (3 credits)
Topics will include the structure and decisional processes of the American legal system, sources of law, methods of dispute resolution, the roles of the attorney and the legal assistant, legal analysis, interviewing techniques and ethics for legal assistants. This course is not required for those students who have taken LGST 2500.
LEGS 2100 - Legal Research and Writing I (3 credits)
Students will study primary and secondary sources of law, obtain legal research and writing skills, learn how to use a law library, and obtain computer-assisted legal research training.
LEGS 2200 - Computer Applications for the Legal Profession (3 credits)
Theory and application of programs for computers that are used in the legal profession. Hands-on experience with microcomputers and specialized software utilized by the legal profession.
LEGS 3050 - Criminal Law and Procedure (3 credits)
This course covers the study of both substantive criminal law and criminal procedure for the paralegal student. Students will learn the elements of major crimes and defenses. Students also will examine the constitutional aspects of criminal procedure, including searches, seizures and arrests; interrogation; the pretrial process; trial; sentencing; and appeal. Prerequisite: LEGS 1150 or LGST 2500.
LEGS 3260 - Real Estate Practice I (3 credits)
Topics will include interests in real property, contracts, deeds, mortgages and other encumbrances, mortgage foreclosures, title searches, title insurance, and leases. Students will prepare closing documents for a residential real estate transaction. Prerequisite: LEGS 1150 or LGST 2500 or MGT 2150.
LEGS 3300 - Torts and Civil Litigation (3 credits)
This course covers tort law, including such topics as intentional torts, negligence, strict liability, products liability, defamation, and defense to torts. Students also will examine the civil litigation process, including evidence, the rules of civil procedure, discovery, jury selection, and pre-trial work. Students will prepare pleadings and pre-trial discovery. Prerequisite: LEGS 1150 or LGST 2500.
LEGS 3360 - Wills, Trusts, and Estates I (3 credits)
Topics will include intestacy, wills, trusts, living wills, will substitutes, probate, estate administration, and estate and gift taxes. Students will prepare wills and estate administration documents. Prerequisites: LEGS 1150 or LGST 2500.
LEGS 3400 - Business Relations and Organizations (3 credits)
Topics will include contracts (the essential elements, defenses to enforceability, third party beneficiaries, and assignments), the Uniform Commercial Code, sole proprietorships, general and limited partnerships, and corporations. Prerequisite: LEGS 1150 or LGST 2500.
LEGS 3550 - Family Law (3 credits)
Topics will include prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, marriage, dissolution, equitable distribution, alimony, shared parental responsibility, child support, property settlement agreements, adoption, and paternity and juvenile law. Prerequisite: LEGS 1150 or LGST 2500.
LEGS 4110 - Legal Research and Writing II (3 credits)
This course will commence with a review of all basic primary and secondary sources. Florida research tools and special topical reference materials will also be covered. Advanced training in computer-assisted legal research will be provided. Legal writing will be emphasized. There will be a variety of written work ranging from everyday correspondence to memoranda of law. Prerequisites: LEGS 2100 or LGST 4000.
LEGS 4270 - Real Estate Practice II (3 credits)
Topics will generally be chosen from among the following: title problems, mortgage foreclosures, landlord-tenants, commercial real estate transactions, condominiums, construction liens, and environmental matters. Prerequisites: LEGS 3260.
LEGS 4310 - Advanced Litigation (3 credits)
This course will commence with a review of all basic primary and secondary sources. Florida research tools and special topical reference materials will also be covered. The following topics under the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure will be covered: pleadings, service of process, parties, default, dismissals, discovery in all of its forms, the trial stage, judgments, and post-judgment relief. Students will work on civil cases in several areas of law, where they will apply many of the procedural rules that they have studied. Prerequisites: LEGS 3300.
LEGS 4370 - Wills, Trusts, and Estates II (3 credits)
Topics will generally be chosen from among the following: probate litigation, mechanisms to transfer property, will and trust drafting, homestead, and federal estate and gift tax system, the Florida estate tax, and preparation of federal estate and gift tax returns. Prerequisites: LEGS 3360.
LEGS 4410 - Corporate Regulation and Change (3 credits)
Topics will include the following: capitalization, debt and equity financing, federal and state securities regulation, mergers, asset and stock acquisitions, reorganizations, and drafting corporate documents. Prerequisites: LEGS 1150 or LGST 2500; and LEGS 2100 or LGST 4000; and LEGS 3400.
LEGS 4800 - Advanced Practicum in Paralegal Studies (3 credits)
This advanced practicum simulates a law office environment in which students work for senior and junior law partners in a generalized law practice. This experiential approach is designed to integrate and apply substantive law, procedural application and legal computer application drawing on materials in a variety of legal areas including but not limited to civil litigation, real estate, estate planning, family law, legal research, criminal law, contracts and corporate law. Students take this course in the last semester of their paralegal studies curriculum. Prerequisites: LEGS 2100 and LEGS 3050 and LEGS 3210 or LEGS 2200 and LEGS 3260 and LEGS 3300 and LEGS 3360 and LEGS 3400 and LEGS 3550.