Legal Studies (LEG)

This is an archived copy of the 2017-2018 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.umt.edu/.

LEG 183 - Contracts. 2 Credits.

Offered spring. Offered at Missoula College. Sources of law affecting the formation, enforceability, and interpretation of contracts. Includes the necessary elements of a contract, the basic doctrines of contract law, and practical approaches to drafting a contract.

LEG 184 - Legal Ethics. 2 Credits.

Offered autumn. Offered at Missoula College. Introduction to ethics for the paralegal, including confidentiality, paralegal-attorney relationship, fee arrangements, Code of Professional Conduct, attorney-client privilege, fiduciary responsibilities, and public service.

LEG 185 - Introduction Paralegal Studies. 3 Credits.

Offered autumn. Offered at Missoula College. Students will develop an ability to analyze basic legal principles in real property law and practical experience increasing, organizing, and completing real estate transactions. Students in the course will develop fundamental skills; real estate, landlord-tenant, and land use law. Further, students will continue development of drafting skills, legal research, and case analysis.

LEG 186 - Introduction to Legal Research. 2 Credits.

Offered autumn. Offered at Missoula College. Prereq., acceptance into program or consent of instr. Introduction to legal research focusing on how to find, use, understand, and correctly cite law library resources.

LEG 187 - Leg Res & Wrtg I. 2 Credits.

Offered spring. Offered at Missoula College. Prereq., LEG 186. Advanced legal research focusing on how to find, use, understand, and correctly cite legal resources. Electronic research methods are presented. Application of legal research to writing is introduced.

LEG 188 - Prin of Real Estate. 2 Credits.

Offered spring. Offered at Missoula College. Prereq., consent of instructor. Students will develop an ability to analyze basic legal principles in real property law and practical experience increasing, organizing, and completing real estate transactions. Students in the course will develop fundamental skills; real estate, landlord-tenant, and land use law. Further, students will continue development of drafting skills, legal research, and case analysis.

LEG 189 - Criminal Procedures. 3 Credits.

Offered spring. Offered at Missoula College. Prereq., consent of instructor. Criminal prosecution and defense representation with an overview of criminal law principles. Training in criminal procedure involving felonies and misdemeanors in federal, Montana, and municipal courts.

LEG 192 - Independent Study. 1-6 Credits.

(R-6) Offered every term. Offered at Missoula College. Prereq., consent of instructor. Course material appropriate to the needs and objectives of the individual student.

LEG 195 - Special Topics. 1-6 Credits.

LEG 196 - Independent Study. 1-6 Credits.

(R-6) Offered intermittently. Offered at Missoula College. Course material appropriate to the needs and objectives of the individual student.

LEG 270 - Civil Litigation. 3 Credits.

Offered autumn. Offered at Missoula College. Prereq., LEG 185 or consent of instructor. Introduction to rules governing civil litigation involving the general nature of how lawsuits arise including client interviews and data gathering, pleading and practice from the filing of suit to file preparation for trial, and core considerations of ethics and professionalism.

LEG 272 - Computers & Law. 3 Credits.

Offered at Missoula College. Prereq., CAPP 120 and LEG 185 or consent of instructor. This course provides an introduction to the growing use of computer technology in law offices. Topics will include using established and developing technologies to address issues such as metadata, online office suites, online storage, Google Apps tools, word processing, spreadsheets, database, calendar, task lists, Bates stamping, online and in-office security, case management, optical character recognition & PDF document storage, operating systems, computers, scanners, online security, sale of providers, instant messaging, email, social media, courtroom presentations, discovery, document review, websites, online advertising, collaborative document editing, client billing, client trust account management, payroll, speech recognition, networking systems, cloud computing, remote desktop programs, and scheduling programs.

LEG 282 - Contemporary Legal Issues. 3 Credits.

Offered spring. Offered at Missoula College. Prereq., LEG 270 or consent of instructor. Capstone experience designed to investigate topical legal issues of immediate importance. Although the course has delineated structure, the nature of the course will allow both relevant concentrated focus as well as traditional disciplined examination of numerous areas of law practice and theory. The various pedagogical modules will offer students the opportunity to explore statutory structure, analyze case law, and draft legal forms.

LEG 283 - Trial Preparation. 3 Credits.

Offered spring. Offered at Missoula College. Prereq., LEG 270 or consent of instructor. Capstone experience designed to investigate topical legal issues of immediate importance. Although the course has delineated structure, the nature of the course will allow both relevant concentrated focus as well as traditional disciplined examination of numerous areas of law practice and theory. The various pedagogical modules will offer students the opportunity to explore statutory structure, analyze case law, and draft legal forms.

LEG 285 - Family Law. 3 Credits.

Offered spring. Offered at Missoula College. Prereq., LEG 286 or consent of instructor. Study of Montana law relating to marriage, husband and wife, parent and child, termination of marriage, adoption, joint and sole custody arrangements and modifications, child support guidelines, and juvenile issues. Includes preparation of standard family law documents.

LEG 286 - Legal Res & Writing II. 2 Credits.

Offered autumn. Offered at Missoula College. Prereq., LEG 186 and 187. Advanced legal research and writing with emphasis on drafting and composing legal memoranda; legal research skills and development of legal writing ability.

LEG 287 - Legal Res. & Writing III. 2 Credits.

Offered spring. Offered at Missoula College. Prereq., LEG 286. Continued development of legal research and writing skills including advanced legal theory/case law synthesis, drafting correspondence, pleadings, discovery documents, persuasive writing. Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to: research, analyze, synthesize, and prioritize law cases, treatises, doctrines, theory of the law, legal rules, and other information and draft appropriate correspondence, pleadings, motions, briefs, discovery documents or memoranda relating to that information as would be anticipated in a law office.

LEG 288 - Estate Administration. 2 Credits.

Offered spring. Offered at Missoula College. Prereq., LEG 286 or consent of instructor. This course provides an overview of the law as it applies to wills, trusts, and other estate matters. Topics include the nature and sources of the law relating to wills, trusts, and estates, estate planning, intestate succession, family protection, probate, and estate taxes.

LEG 291 - Special Topics. 1-6 Credits.

(R-6) Offered intermittently. Offered at Missoula College. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.

LEG 292 - Independent Study. 1-6 Credits.

(R-6) Offered every term. Offered at Missoula College. Prereq., consent of instr. Course material appropriate to the needs and objectives of the individual student.

LEG 295 - Special Topics. 1-6 Credits.

LEG 298 - Paralegal Studies Internship. 2 Credits.

Offered autumn and spring. Offered at Missoula College. Prereq., last semester in program, minimum of ?C? in LEG courses, and approval of program director. On-the-job experience as a paralegal trainee under the supervision of an employer, attorney, or court official. This experience increases students' skills, prepares them for initial employment and advancement on the job, and increases occupational awareness and professionalism. Students work a minimum of 90 hours at an approved site and attend a weekly one-hour seminar.