LAW 3721 - Legal Writing
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 43990,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Matthew Ritzman
Email: mritzman@ysu.edu
Course Description
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals 10th Edition | Deborah E. Bouchoux | 978- 1- 5438- 4758- 1 |
| Required | Court Decisions - as assigned. |
Text book is available online at https://ebooksbasic.com
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | 1. Chapter 1, pp. 3–29. The chapter introduces the paralegal's research role, sources of law, identifying holdings, the research process, and basic case citation. 2. Course Syllabus |
Introduction to Legal Research and Sources of Law | Complete readings and Blackboard assignments by Sunday at 11:59pm |
| 8/31 | Textbook - Chapter 2, pp. 31–59. | Federal and State Court Systems | Complete readings and Blackboard assignments by Sunday at 11:59pm |
| 9/7 | Chapter 3, pp. 61–83 and 91–104. The assigned portions emphasize federal and state statutory sources, research techniques, court rules, and citation without requiring extensive treatment of every historical publication method. | Statutory Research | Complete readings and Blackboard assignments by Sunday at 11:59pm |
| 9/14 | Chapter 4, pp. 107–122 and 137–158. These portions emphasize understanding judicial opinions, research features, case briefing, and citation. Writing Assignment: | Cases and Judicial Opinions | Complete readings and Blackboard assignments by Sunday at 11:59pm |
| 9/21 | Chapter 5, pp. 161–192. | Legal Research | Complete readings and Blackboard assignments by Sunday at 11:59pm |
| 9/28 | Chapter 6, pp. 195–210 and 221–237. The assigned sections focus primarily on encyclopedias, treatises, Restatements, and their research value. | Secondary Legal Authorities | Complete readings and Blackboard assignments by Sunday at 11:59pm |
| 10/5 | Chapter 7, pp. 239–272. The chapter surveys specialized research tools including dictionaries, form books, uniform laws, and jury instructions. | Additional Legal Research Tools | Complete readings and Blackboard assignments by Sunday at 11:59pm |
| 10/12 | Chapter 8, pp. 273–312. The chapter covers citation manuals, primary and secondary authorities, short forms, signals, quotations, electronic sources, and cite checking. | Legal Citation | Complete readings and Blackboard assignments by Sunday at 11:59pm |
| 10/19 | Chapter 9, pp. 315–335 | Special Research Problems | Complete readings and Blackboard assignments by Sunday at 11:59pm |
| 10/26 | Chapter 11, pp. 388–425. | Lexis, Westlaw, and Artificial Intelligence | Complete readings and Blackboard assignments by Sunday at 11:59pm |
| 11/2 | Chapter 12, pp. 447–472 | Developing a Research Plan | Complete readings and Blackboard assignments by Sunday at 11:59pm |
| 11/9 | Chapter 14, pp. 505–530 | Fundamentals of Effective Legal Writing | Complete readings and Blackboard assignments by Sunday at 11:59pm |
| 11/16 | Chapter 17, pp. 602–621 | Writing an Objective Legal Memorandum | Complete readings and Blackboard assignments by Sunday at 11:59pm |
| 11/23 | Chapter 17, pp. 602–621 | Writing an Objective Legal Memorandum | Complete readings and Blackboard assignments by Sunday at 11:59pm |
| 11/30 | Chapter 18, pp. 623–650. | Persuasive Legal Writing and Court Briefs | Complete readings and Blackboard assignments by Sunday at 11:59pm |
| 12/7 | Chapter 18, pp. 623–650. | Persuasive Legal Writing and Court Briefs | Complete readings and Blackboard assignments by Sunday at 11:59pm |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.