Course Description

Course Title:	Computerized Legal Research and the Internet
Course Number:	PA 2218
Credits:	2 semester credits
Prerequisites:	PA 1102 - Introduction to Law and Contracts or permission of the director or instructor
Recommendations:	This course requires the knowledge of legal analysis, the ability to do light legal research based on directions provided by the instructor, and the aptitude to learn how to draft pleadings or legal documents. Students may benefit from taking Legal Research prior to this class but it is not required.
Catalog Description:	Provides the paralegal student with hands-on basic training in the uses of computerized legal research engine(s) and the Internet. This course will include training in web search engines, browsers, searching and indexing tools, and the location of legal materials on the Internet. Also, this class will cover computer query formulation, search and retrieval techniques, citation services, and data base selections. Focus will concentrate on content on the World Wide Web that paralegals are sure to need. Familiarity with computer’s operation is recommended.
Outcomes:	Upon completion of this course, the students will be able to: Describe the purpose and function of the Internet infrastructure and its protocol as it pertains to legal research. Browse the World Wide Web and effectively search for legal and nonlegal information on the Internet. Identify, use and evaluate problem identification/solving skills as applied to web site analysis. Describe and analyze the purpose and function of the basic rules of legal professional responsibility, ethical considerations and confidentiality as it relates to computerized legal research and the Internet. Conduct basic computerized legal research on the Internet as well as on computerized legal research engine(s). Operate and use computerized legal research engine(s) in the areas of investigation, research, citation and analysis of legal materials through a hands-on experience. Use and develop the thinking, analytic and problem-solving skills necessary to conduct computerized legal research through available search engine(s). Research topics in law related to various assigned legal hypotheticals.
Topics Covered:	Introduction to the Internet: background, history, underlying technology and methods of accessing (1 hour) Learn to browse the World Wide Web and use various search engines (1 hour) Introduction to one or two important legal World Wide Web search engines in some depth (4 hours) Focus on state legal resources, specifically Minnesota (6 hours) Review federal legal sources in some depth (6 hours) Locate and discuss Internet bulletins (1 hour) Locate and discuss specialized databases to find experts, forms, dictionaries, & other legal information (1 hour) Focus on effective search techniques and analysis of web site verification and validity (1 hour) Review legal ethical issues as they pertain to legal research (1 hour) Introduction to Westlaw or other computerized legal research engine(s) (1 hour) Introduction to source of law, authority, holdings, and the organization of legal research materials (1 hour) Review databases, searching and browsing tools (1 hour) Center on Query formulation as it relates to legal research engine(s) (4 hours) Search case law, legislative, and regulatory materials databases (2 hours) Conduct citation research, and focus on validity and application (1 hour) Total Semester Hours: 32.0
Outcomes Measures:	The students may take a midterm exam, do computerized legal research assignments and projects, and a final exam. Grading assignments, projects, and exams may be on a numerical basis. The final grade will be a full letter grade (A-F).

< back