In this course, you cover litigation procedures in the State courts of California from both academic and law practitioner's viewpoints. Receive step-by-step instruction on how to prepare summons and complaint; obtain default judgment; prepare answer and cross complaint; evaluate and draft various pretrial motions and discovery requests; prepare cases for trial and trial-related documents and motions; and enforce a judgment after trial. In addition, you also learn the California court systems and basic appellate process, how to interpret and apply California Code of Civil Procedure, California Rules of Court, and various local court rules and legal forms.
Course Outline
Course Objective
- Gain quantifiable abilities and a comprehensive understanding of all applicable techniques relating to the litigation process in the California State courts
What You Learn
- California courts' structure
- Trial-level courts
- Appellate-level courts
- Local courts
- State-wide courts
- Jurisdiction issues
- Court of Appeals
- Supreme Court
- California Code of Civil Procedure
- California Rules of Court
- Law Library
- Lexis
- Appearance and filing in court actions
- Filing and service
- Default by defendant
- Appearance by defendant
- The discovery process
- Motion practice
- Pretrial case management
- Settlement and dismissal
- Judgement and enforcement
- Appeals
- Writ of Certiorari
How You Learn
- Textbook and assigned materials
- PowerPoint presentations
- Sample California court documents
- Internet-based educational support that includes lecture notes, analysis and review
Is This Course Right for Me?
This class is for those interested in becoming paralegals or for anyone who needs to understand the fundamentals of California paralegal procedures.