1A Curriculum At A Glance

This course is designed for 6th Grade Pre-Law Studies students (1A). This is an introductory course that provides an overview of the law and the American legal system. This course covers the Constitution, court system, attorney-client relationship, sources and areas of law, etc. Pre-Law Studies student will develop the knowledge and skills indicated by the Learning Goals for the course. The methodology of the course is delivered through processes and project-based learning. Students are confronted with real-world issues that provide opportunities for exercising the critical thinking and problem-solving skills central to legal, political, social, and civics literacy education. This course will provide opportunities for students to become more socially, politically, and legally knowledgeable and to participate in government as educated, engaged, and productive citizens.

Fall Semester

Module I: Introduction to Law and the American Legal System

Module I provides students with a foundation and frame of reference for their study of law and the American Legal System. Students will gain a perspective on laws within the context of American government and political systems, and explore the crucial roles and skills of citizens, legislators, attorneys, and judges as they work to preserve and strengthen our system of justice.

Module I topics include:

• The Origin of the Law and the American Legal System

• The Lawmaking Process

• Lawyering and Professional Responsibility

• The Judicial Process

Module II: Civil Procedure I*

Module III provides students with a basic working knowledge of civil procedure, the rules and practices that govern courts, lawyers, and litigants in the resolution of disputes. Student will understand the orderly, fair, and efficient resolution of disputes is inarguably an essential feature of modern government. Necessarily, the rules needed to guide participants to dispute resolution mirror the complexity of society. Lawyers, it may be said, are the intermediaries between claimants, their adversaries, and the courts.

Module II topics include:

• Settling Disputes

• Sources of Procedure

• Jurisdictions

• The Litigation Process

• Appeals Process

Spring Semester

Module III: Tort Law*

Module III provides an overview of tort law—a branch of civil law. The module highlights the differences between tort law and criminal law; describes how torts developed historically; presents various reasons why a person can sue or be sued; outlines the processes by which torts are adjudicated; and discusses the role of insurance in tort law. This module will introduce students to several cutting-edge issues, including tort reform.

Module III topics include:

• Tort Liability vs. Criminal Liability

• Intentional Torts

• Negligence

• Strict Liability

Module IV: Contract Law*

Module IV provides students with a foundational understanding of the law governing private agreements. This module analyzes the criteria for determining whether or not a particular promise or voluntary agreement is legally enforceable and surveys the major legal issues affecting enforceable agreements. These issues include the questions of when a contract becomes binding, what persons acquire rights under a contract, the conditions under which performance is required or excused, what constitutes breach of contract, and the remedies available for breach of contract. Attention will be given throughout the module to the general problems of interpreting contract language, the role of contracts in a market society, the conflict between the commercial need for certainty and the demands of individual fairness, and the relationship between contract law and other areas such as torts, property and restitution.

Module IV topics include:

• Sources of Contract Law

• Elements of an Effective Contract

• Drafting a Contract

• Breach of Contract

* Required courses for ABA accredited law school students.