Law (LA)
LA 521 Contracts 1 - 3 Units
Students study the fundamentals of contract law, including common law principles, selected sections of the Restatement (Second) of Contracts, and the Uniform Commercial Code. Students examine remedies, offer, acceptance, discerning the agreement, parol evidence rule, Statute of Frauds, multi-party transactions, and enforceability. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 521x Contracts 1 - 3 Units
Students study the fundamentals of contract law, including common law principles, selected sections of the Restatement (Second) of Contracts, and the Uniform Commercial Code. Students examine remedies, offer, acceptance, discerning the agreement, parol evidence rule, Statute of Frauds, multi-party transactions, and enforceability. Delivery Mode: Flex Juris Doctor.
LA 522a Contracts 2 - 3 Units
Students study the fundamentals of contract law, including common law principles, selected sections of the Restatement (Second) of Contracts, and the Uniform Commercial Code. Students examine consideration, promissory estoppel, warranties and conditions, breach, and defenses. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 522x Contracts 2 - 3 Units
Students study the fundamentals of contract law, including common law principles, selected sections of the Restatement (Second) of Contracts, and the Uniform Commercial Code. Students examine consideration, promissory estoppel, warranties and conditions, breach, and defenses. Delivery Mode: Flex Juris Doctor.
LA 523 Contracts Drafting - 1 Unit
Students learn practical contract drafting skills, including how to translate a business deal into contract concepts, how to draft each of a contract's parts, how to draft with clarity and without ambiguity, and how to review and analyze a contract. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 531a Criminal Law - 3 Units
Students learn how to deal with substantive criminal law problems in both practical and policy terms. Students inquire into the proper scope and objectives of criminal law, limitations on the state's power to define criminal liability, and general principles of liability and defenses for offenses against the person and property. Students are also provided with an opportunity for critical examination of statutes at an early stage in the law student's career. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 531x Criminal Law - 3 Units
Students learn how to deal with substantive criminal law problems in both practical and policy terms. Students inquire into the proper scope and objectives of criminal law, limitations on the state's power to define criminal liability, and general principles of liability and defenses for offenses against the person and property. Students are also provided with an opportunity for critical examination of statutes at an early stage in the law student's career. Delivery Mode: Flex Juris Doctor.
LA 541 Torts 1 - 3 Units
Students learn the civil laws governing compensation for injury to person and property. Students focus on intentional torts and defenses, negligence and defenses, wrongful death, survival, statute of limitations, immunities, and vicarious liability. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 541x Torts 1 - 3 Units
Students learn the civil laws governing compensation for injury to person and property. Students focus on intentional torts and defenses, negligence and defenses, wrongful death, survival, statute of limitations, immunities, and vicarious liability. Delivery Mode: Flex Juris Doctor.
LA 542 Torts 2 - 3 Units
Students learn the civil laws governing compensation for injury to person and property. Students study strict liability, products liability, nuisance, defamation, invasion of privacy, civil rights, misuse of legal procedure, intentional and negligent misrepresentation, business torts and familial relationships, torts in the age of statutes, and compensation systems as substitutes for tort law. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 542x Torts 2 - 3 Units
Students learn the civil laws governing compensation for injury to person and property. Students study strict liability, products liability, nuisance, defamation, invasion of privacy, civil rights, misuse of legal procedure, intentional and negligent misrepresentation, business torts and familial relationships, torts in the age of statutes, and compensation systems as substitutes for tort law. Delivery Mode: Flex Juris Doctor.
LA 545 Human Trafficking: Law and Policy (Cambodia) - 1-3 Units
In this study abroad course in Cambodia, students are introduced to international and domestic laws and policies governing various forms of human trafficking, including forced labor, sexual exploitation, and other modern forms of slavery. Cambodia is considered a source, transit, and destination country for many forms of human trafficking. Students explore Cambodia's history as well as its legal responses to the Cambodian genocide and human trafficking. Students examine the diplomatic and policy tools employed by governments, non-governmental organizations, and other institutions to combat trafficking, including foreign aid, local investment, education, and economic development. Students have the opportunity to meet with multilateral organizations, government officials, NGOs, survivor organizations, and other key individuals involved in the anti-trafficking movement. LA 545 is repeatable for up to 3 units. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 550 Foundations of Law - 3 Units
Students explore the foundational institutions, principles, and norms of American legal systems, along with the legal concepts related to them. Students are introduced to the thinkers and ideas that have significantly contributed to Western and American legal traditions. Students examine the nature of law, the development of common law, the rise of modern legal philosophies, and the influence of Christian and secular worldviews on the evolution of American law. Key appellate court opinions are analyzed to illustrate foundational concepts and the basics of legal reasoning. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 550x Foundations of Law - 3 Units
Students explore the foundational institutions, principles, and norms of American legal systems, along with the legal concepts related to them. Students are introduced to the thinkers and ideas that have significantly contributed to Western and American legal traditions. Students examine the nature of law, the development of common law, the rise of modern legal philosophies, and the influence of Christian and secular worldviews on the evolution of American law. Key appellate court opinions are analyzed to illustrate foundational concepts and the basics of legal reasoning. Delivery Mode: Flex Juris Doctor.
LA 559 Legal Research and Writing 1: Objective Writing - 3 Units
Students are introduced to fundamental legal reasoning, research (both online and in print), and writing skills within the context of objective legal documents. Students learn to identify, utilize, and analyze primary and secondary legal authorities to solve legal problems, as well as how to structure and draft legal memoranda. LA 559 meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 560b Legal Research and Writing 2: Persuasive Writing - 3 Units
Students develop their analytical, writing, and research skills in the advocacy context. Students produce litigation documents including a pre-trial motion and an appellate brief. Students are also required to participate in an oral argument competition to practice oral advocacy skills. LA 560b meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 560d Legal Writing: Litigation Skills - 3 Units
Students are provided legal writing experience in civil litigation, including the drafting of demand letters, complaints, answers and other responsive pleadings, discovery, discovery responses, motions, and pre-trial documents. Students focus on the legal writing skills commonly required in civil litigation. Students have the opportunity to simulate attorney case handling in a civil litigation setting. Using a class hypothetical based on a real civil case, students will learn how to manage the case as practicing attorneys. LA 560d meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 560e Legal Writing: Transactional Skills - 3 Units
Students are provided legal writing experience in transactional civil practice. Students focus on legal writing commonly associated with and required in transactional civil practice including opinion letters, letters to opposing counsel, commonly utilized contractual provisions, mutual settlements and releases, clauses related to indemnification and hold harmless agreements, anti-competition provisions, and confidentiality agreements. LA 560e meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 561 Mastering Multiple-Choice Questions: Part 1 - 1 Unit
Students focus on contracts, criminal law, criminal procedure, and torts for the multiple-choice portion of the California Bar Exam. Students review the substantive law, practice extensively, develop time management strategies, and identify areas for improvement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 562 Mastering Multiple-Choice Questions: Part 2 - 1 Unit
Students focus on civil procedure, constitutional law, evidence, and property for the multiple-choice portion of the California Bar Exam. Students review the substantive law, practice extensively, develop time management strategies, and identify areas for improvement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 567 Mastering the Performance Test - 1 Unit
Students focus on the California Bar Exam Performance Test. Students develop time management strategies and approaches for how to organize and outline the test. Additionally, students complete several Performance Tests and receive personalized feedback. Prerequisites: LA 559 & LA 560b. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 572 Victimology and Restorative Justice - 1 Unit
Students cover the relationship between victims and their offenders, interaction between victims and the criminal justice system, the impact of crime on victims' families and the reintroduction of offenders to society. Students focus on the Christian view of reconciliation. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 599x FYLSX Skills - 3 Units
Students engage in a substantive law review of each subject tested on the California First-Year Law Students' Examination (FYLSX). Students also extensively practice in both essay exam writing and multiple-choice questions. Students focus on approaches, checklists, and writing techniques to enhance issue spotting, analysis, and application skills, which are necessary skills to pass the FYLSX. Delivery mode: Flex Juris Doctor.
LA 600i Constitutional Law 1 - 3 Units
Students explore the structure and powers of the federal government and focus on selected topics regarding the relationship of the branches of the federal government to each other and to the states. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 601i Constitutional Law 2 - 3 Units
Students explore selected topics regarding the Bill of Rights, particularly the First Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process and Equal Protection clauses. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 604 Religious Freedom and Sports - 1 Unit
Students explore religious freedom-related issues as they pertain to sports. Students examine topics including homeschooling, transfers, free speech and prayer, employment law, Sabbath accommodations, Title IX and gender equity issues, and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. Students apply legal principles to current sports-related topics as well as to fact patterns they may encounter if practicing in the area of religious freedom. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 613 Professional Responsibility and Ethics - 3 Units
Students primarily focus on the laws governing lawyers' professional conduct. These laws are studied through ethics codes, cases, professional responsibility opinions, ethics problems, and class discussion. Students focus on the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct, and the California Rules of Professional Conduct. Additionally, the ethics aspect of the course examines the broader moral and ethical issues and responsibilities of lawyers, judges, and clients, including Christian ethical perspectives. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 613x Professional Responsibility and Ethics - 3 Units
Students primarily focus on the laws governing lawyers' professional conduct. These laws are studied through ethics codes, cases, professional responsibility opinions, ethics problems, and class discussion. Students focus on the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct, and the California Rules of Professional Conduct. Additionally, the ethics aspect of the course examines the broader moral and ethical issues and responsibilities of lawyers, judges, and clients, including Christian ethical perspectives. Delivery Mode: Flex Juris Doctor.
LA 661 Property 1 - 3 Units
Students focus on the acquisition, disposition, and use of personal and real property. Students explore the nature of ownership and possession, bailment, donative transfers, adverse possession, common law classifications of estates in land, concurrent ownership, present and future interests in land, and landlord-tenant law. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 662 Property 2 - 3 Units
Students focus on the acquisition, disposition, and use of personal and real property. Students explore transfers of interests in real property, real estate contracts, legal descriptions, conveyances and deeds, recording systems, title insurance, private land-use restrictions (easements, covenants, and equitable servitudes), public land-use regulations, mortgages, eminent domain, and regulatory takings. Students may be exposed to intellectual property. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 671i Evidence 1 - 3 Units
Students learn the standards regulating admissibility of evidence in both civil and criminal trials. Students study common law and statutory principles, policy considerations underlying rules of evidence, admission and exclusion, relevancy and materiality, opinion evidence, authentication, the best evidence rule, judicial notice, and public policy exclusions. Students also study impeachment and rehabilitation as well as presumptions and burden of proof. Trial situations are simulated, students argue for and against the admission of evidence under the rules, and students explore how evidence has an impact on tactical trial decisions. Students address the Federal Rules of Evidence and the California Evidence Code, including any distinctions between the two. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 672i Evidence 2 - 3 Units
Students learn the standards regulating admissibility of evidence in both civil and criminal trials. Students study privileged communications as well as the hearsay rule and its exceptions. Trial situations are simulated; students argue for and against the admission of evidence under the rules; and students explore how evidence has an impact on tactical trial decisions. Students address the Federal Rules of Evidence and the California Evidence Code, including any distinctions between the two. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 673b Civil Procedure 1 - 3 Units
Students examine aspects of civil litigation, including an introduction to the court system, personal and subject matter jurisdiction, venue, and the role of state law in federal courts. Students also discuss remedies and pleading. Students primarily focus on federal civil procedure but also addresses California procedure where it differs from the federal rules. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 674b Civil Procedure 2 - 3 Units
Students examine aspects of civil litigation, including discovery, parties, counterclaims, cross-claims, impleader, intervention, and interpleader. Students primarily focus on federal civil procedure but also address California procedure where it differs from the federal rules. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 674d E-Discovery - 1 Unit
Students examine the legal and technological issues surrounding the use of electronically stored information (ESI), including the practical parameters of e-discovery and electronic case management. Students learn what electronic discovery is and analyze how the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Federal Rules of Evidence, and relevant case law affect this aspect of litigation. Students examine considerations attorneys and litigation teams address when handling ESI prior to and during the litigation process. Students also analyze preservation obligations and spoliation claims. Finally, students examine developing issues, rules, and practices involving e-discovery, digital evidence, and computer forensics in litigation and general legal practice. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 675a Alternative Dispute Resolution - 3 Units
Students develop a thorough understanding of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) through the study of different ADR processes, including arbitration and mediation. Students examine the appropriate use of ADR and analyze the procedural posture through which cases move into and proceed within ADR. Students participate in mock ADR hearings, serving both as counsel for litigants in hypothetical cases and as neutrals conducting the proceedings. Students also prepare documents commonly associated with ADR hearings, including arbitration briefs and mediation briefs. This course meets the practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 702a Business Associations - 3 Units
Students explore the formation of agency relationships, partnerships and corporations, the fiduciary duties of agents, directors and officers, shareholder voting, shareholder lawsuits, rules around corporate disclosures, insider trading, and corporate control transactions. Particular attention is given to the way in which corporations organize and operate. Students also examine the respective roles, relationships, and liability exposure of shareholders, directors, and officers. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 753 Trial Practice - 3 Units
Students develop practical advocacy skills through the study of the fundamental components of a typical civil and criminal trial. Students participate in discrete advocacy exercises, including jury voir dire, opening and closing statements, the presentation of and objections to evidence, and direct and cross-examination. This course meets the practical skills requirement. Prerequisites: LA671i and LA672i. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 763 Family Law - 3 Units
Students study the legal aspects of relationships associated with marriage and parenthood, including spousal and parental rights and responsibilities, children's rights, marital dissolution, annulment, unmarried cohabitation, child custody, illegitimacy, adoption, and guardianship. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 764 Community Property - 2 Units
Students focus on the principles of California's community property system and contrast those principles with the treatment of assets in a common law jurisdiction. Students analyze how California classifies different types of assets that a couple might acquire during the course of a marital relationship. Students primarily discuss how California classifies personal injury awards, pensions, disability benefits, professional degrees, bonuses, credit acquisitions, and jointly-titled assets. Practical problems and solutions are emphasized. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 783i Criminal Procedure - 3 Units
Students are provided with a comprehensive understanding of important issues in criminal procedure arising during the investigation and early stages of the prosecution of crimes. Topics include constitutional limits on arrests and stops, search and seizure, interrogation of suspects, right to counsel, exclusionary rule, identification procedures, the privilege against self-incrimination, and the grand jury. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 783x Criminal Procedure - 3 Units
Students are provided with a comprehensive understanding of important issues in criminal procedure arising during the investigation and early stages of the prosecution of crimes. Topics include constitutional limits on arrests and stops, search and seizure, interrogation of suspects, right to counsel, exclusionary rule, identification procedures, the privilege against self-incrimination, and the grand jury. Delivery Mode: Flex Juris Doctor.
LA 790b Jurisprudence - 3 Units
Students learn core juristic concepts - the modes of jurisprudential reasoning, principles, rights and duties, and institutions - that have shaped Western law, and employ these concepts to understand and critique the institutions, principles, and norms of the American legal system. Students read and discuss classic and contemporary jurisprudential texts and examples of jurisprudence in practice, such as landmark judicial decisions, significant constitutional actions, and policy debates. In particular, students read foundational texts in ancient Greek philosophy, Roman law, and Judeo-Christian jurisprudence; natural law theory; legal positivism; pragmatic jurisprudence, especially legal realism and law & economics; modern human rights concepts; and postmodern critical theories. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 803 Wills, Trusts, and Estates - 3 Units
Students learn rules related to intestate succession; testamentary dispositions; the execution, modification, and revocation of wills; testamentary capacity; will contests; and the interpretation of wills. Students examine the protection of spouses and children as well as the use of will substitutes. Students study the creation, types, and characteristics of trusts, including the construction of trusts, trust administration, and wealth transfer taxation. Fiduciary administration issues are also addressed. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 822a Remedies - 3 Units
Students analyze the judicial remedies available in the American system of jurisprudence. Students are familiarized with compensatory and punitive damages, preliminary and permanent injunctions, restitution and unjust enrichment, rescission, declaratory judgments, attorneys fees, and pre-judgment interest. Students examine claims for and defenses to quiet title, reformation, fraudulent conveyances, subrogation, contribution, indemnity, and replevin. Students also engage in discussion of recent developments in the law of American remedies as well as important practical issues regarding enforcing money judgments, initiating and prosecuting contempt proceedings, and obtaining writs of attachment and other pre-judgment remedies. Students will conclude the course with discussions of equitable and other remedies available to defendants, such as unclean hands, unconscionability, waiver, estoppel, laches, statutes of limitations, and California SLAPP laws. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 843 Christian Legal Thought - 3 Units
Students survey the various ways Christianity intersects with law, legal institutions, and legal values. Students examine the role of Christian legal education and its contributions to individuals and society. Topics include the importance of legal education, biblical foundations for Christian legal thought, natural law and its sources, and applications of these concepts to contemporary legal issues. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 844 Recent Books on Law - 3 Units
Students read several recent books on the law, with an emphasis on American law. After spending several weeks on each book, the author of the book joins the students in a workshop format, summarizes the book, takes questions from the students, and has a general discussion. Students write short reflection papers each week as well as critiques of each book that will be shared with the authors before their visit. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 845a Pro Bono Reading Seminar - 1 Unit
Students and faculty connect in an informal setting to engage with texts that address significant questions about law. Students read a book or selected readings chosen by the faculty member that examines topics related to law, including core issues involving the relationship between law, faith, politics, and culture. Groups meet four or five times during the semester to discuss the readings. Through discussion, students examine the real-world impact of law, analyze principles underlying the legal system, and reflect on the legal profession and vocational considerations of lawyering. The course fosters intellectual engagement and community among students and faculty. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 870b Civil Litigation Skills - 3 Units
Students develop an approach to the pleading and discovery aspects of litigation. Students draft and oppose pleadings, prepare discovery plans, draft and respond to written discovery, prepare witnesses for depositions, and develop deposition skills in accordance with the California Code of Civil Procedure. This course meets the practical skills requirement. Prerequisites: LA 671i, LA 672i, LA 673b, and LA 674b. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 872 Advanced Legal Writing: Skills and Strategies - 2 Units
Students strengthen legal writing skills. Students learn to choose the right words, organize their thoughts, and convey arguments as precisely and succinctly as possible. Coursework includes exercises, revisions of existing legal documents, peer editing, and several writing projects. Students also review and reinforce, through additional practice, the principles of effective research and writing, including citation. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 891b Juvenile Dependency - 3 Units
Students examine the principles of California's juvenile dependency law system as set forth in the Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC), with particular emphasis on section 300 filings. Students analyze evidentiary, civil procedure, constitutional law, and criminal law issues that arise within the juvenile dependency context. Students study the WIC and relevant case law governing the child welfare and foster care system, including the due process rights of families and the roles of parent's counsel, minor's counsel, and county counsel. Students demonstrate their understanding of these rights and roles by presenting evidence and arguments in mock proceedings, including detention hearings, jurisdictional and dispositional hearings, statutory review hearings, and hearings to terminate parental rights. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 901 Introduction to International Human Rights - 3 Units
Students examine the history, theory, and legal development of the systematic protection of human rights throughout the world. Students analyze the theological and philosophical foundations of human rights, the primary sources of human rights law, and the role of non-state actors, including nongovernmental organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Students also examine debates regarding legitimacy, compliance, efficacy, national sovereignty, responses to mass violence, and universal jurisdiction. In addition, students critically examine the strengths and weaknesses of the human rights protection system from a Christian perspective. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 910 The Right to Life and the Law - 3 Units
Students study the complex medical, social, legal, and ethical issues raised by topics such as abortion, euthanasia, and infanticide. Students examine Supreme Court and other judicial decisions pertaining to these issues. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 916a Domestic Human Trafficking - 1 Unit
Students examine trials of domestic human trafficking cases, from jury selection through closing argument, as well as the legal challenges involved in combating this crime. Students study the current understanding of human trafficking in California and advocacy against human trafficking, including the recruitment of victims, characteristics of traffickers, and the laws governing trafficking and its prosecution. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 916b International Human Trafficking - 1 Unit
Students study an overview of the global issue of trafficking in persons for forced labor or sexual exploitation and examine factors that contribute to the issue and how it is being addressed through legal, economic, and other solutions. Students also examine applicable international conventions and the United States policy responses to human trafficking. Delivery mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 922 Public International Law - 3 Units
Students study the fundamentals of international law and examine how it functions in global society. Students analyze the history and sources of international law, the relationship between international and domestic law, and state sovereignty, territory, and jurisdiction. Students also analyze immunities, state responsibility, and the use of force, self-defense, and terrorism. Students study the peaceful settlement of disputes; the law of the sea and the environment; and the law of human rights, armed conflict, and international crimes. Students examine traditional problems and current events through the study of cases, treaties, and other legal instruments, as well as films and news reports. The course serves as an introduction to topics addressed in LA 545 and LA 932. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 929 Children and the Law - 1 Unit
Students examine various ways that children interact with the law. Students discuss fundamental issues regarding children as full persons or people in need of protection, children in the context of families, children and the state, child abuse and neglect, the child and health care, the child and society, the child and school, and children and the criminal justice system. Students learn by utilizing cases, materials, and readings, as well as practical training tools. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 932 International Human Rights Protection (Europe) - 6 Units
In this study abroad course in The Hague, Netherlands, and Strasbourg, France, students address the recognition and protection of human rights under international law. Students address the protection of human beings in the international human rights protection system, the regional systems for protecting human rights, as well as under international criminal law and international humanitarian law. Students investigate the jurisprudence of human rights, including its history and development, as well as the theological and philosophical foundations for reflecting on the nature and scope of human rights. Students visit numerous international courts, museums, and a Nazi concentration camp, and have the unique opportunity to interact with human rights lawyers, judges, government officials, academics, and activists from around the world. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 935 Law, Worldview, and Culture - 1 Unit
Students explore law as a worldview-dependent phenomenon of culture. The reading and video lectures discuss the foundational concept of a worldview, emphasizing the truth of the Christian worldview, and then briefly trace the impact of different worldviews on the Western legal traditions (from the Roman system to our own 21st-century context), address fundamental implications for jurisprudence and practice (e.g., morality, ethics, rights, justice), and engage some of the more significant issues and ideas of our day (e.g., relativism, religious freedom, social justice, freedom of speech) as they are expressed by the culture in its laws. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 953 Legal Externship - 1-6 Units
Academic instruction in lawyering skills, professional responsibility, and hands-on legal practice are integrated into Externships. Students work under the supervision of experienced attorneys or judges in settings such as judicial chambers, district attorney or public defender offices, government agencies, nonprofit legal organizations, in-house legal departments, or private law firms. Externs receive training and guidance in legal research, writing, and practical lawyering skills. Students may earn up to 6 JD units applied toward the elective requirement. Externships must be approved prior to registration for credit; students should contact Academic Support for approval procedures. This course satisfies the practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 957a Law Practice Management - 3 Units
Students examine the practical aspects of opening and operating a law practice, including forms of practice, the role of legal assistants, and the use of systems for professional and business functions. Students study timekeeping and fees, bookkeeping, client relationships, law office staff manuals, library and retrieval systems, calendar and monitoring systems, essential equipment, law office layout, and practice development. Students also analyze the business and ethical issues and personal pressures encountered in solo and small-firm practice. In addition, students study the methods, standards, and procedures used by the accounting profession in the preparation and issuance of financial and accounting documents, including accounting terminology and processes relevant to interpreting financial reports and advising clients. This course meets the practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 958 Law as a Vocation - 1 Unit
Students examine the foundations of the lawyer's calling. Students discuss the concept of professionalism, the religious roots of the idea of calling in the context of ordinary work outside the local congregation, and the implications of these concepts for a philosophy of lawyering. Students also examine the practical consequences of these foundational views of the lawyer's vocation. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 959g Trinity Mediation Clinic - 2 Units
This clinic operates in conjunction with the Orange County Superior Court and Waymakers OC. Students have hands-on experience providing mediation services to disputants while operating under the direction of a professor who is both a mediator and licensed attorney. As mediators, the students act as third-party neutrals to help litigants facilitate a resolution of their pending lawsuits. This clinic equips students interested in entering the field of alternative dispute resolution or those who would like to incorporate peacemaking principles into their own legal practice. This clinic is available for in-person or remote students. LA 959g meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 959i Trinity Law Clinic - 1 Unit
Students participate in an off-campus poverty law clinic while earning elective credit. This clinic is a partnership with the Orange County Rescue Mission (OCRM) and joins in OCRM's purpose "to minister the love of Jesus Christ to the Least, the Last, and the Lost." Students assist in providing services to the residents of the OCRM's multiple programs around Southern California. Under the supervision of an attorney, students interview clients and work with the supervising attorney to problem solve. Students address some of the biggest legal issues faced by the homeless including family law, criminal law, and debt issues. Students receive instruction on the provision of legal service as well as hands-on training in interviewing clients, assessing legal needs, and providing answers to difficult legal issues. LA 959i meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 959j Trinity Law Clinic - 2 Units
Students participate in a poverty law clinic taking place at the Village of Hope campus. This clinic is a partnership with the Orange County Rescue Mission (OCRM) and joins in OCRM's purpose "to minister the love of Jesus Christ to the Least, the Last, and the Lost." Students assist in providing services to the residents of the OCRM's multiple programs around Southern California. Under the supervision of an attorney, students interview clients and work with the supervising attorney to problem solve. Students address some of the biggest legal issues faced by the homeless including family law, criminal law, and debt issues. Students receive instruction on the provision of legal service as well as hands-on training in interviewing clients, assessing legal needs, and providing answers to difficult legal issues. LA 959j meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 959k Trinity Mobile Legal Clinic - 1 Unit
Students participate in an off-campus poverty law clinic while earning elective credit. This clinic is a partnership with the Orange County Rescue Mission (OCRM). Under the direction of a supervising attorney, students work with low-income and homeless residents of Orange County at OCRM facilities. Students interview clients, help complete court or administrative paperwork, and assist clients in contacting governmental agencies as well as preparing for court hearings. Students participating in this clinic address many of the biggest legal issues faced by the homeless. Students are able to provide pro bono legal services to members of society who might not otherwise have access to legal assistance. LA 959k meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 959n Trinity Religious Liberty Clinic - 1 Unit
This clinic is a partnership with the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI). PJI is a non-profit organization with offices on the campus of Trinity Law School which provides pro bono legal services to churches and individuals, primarily involving the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties. Students hone legal writing skills in this writing-intense clinic while under the supervision of an attorney specializing in constitutional law. Students are exposed to writing trial motions and appellate briefs for important religious freedom matters. This clinic is available for in-person or remote students. LA 959n meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 959o Trinity Religious Liberty Clinic - 2 Units
This clinic is a partnership with the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI). PJI is a non-profit organization with offices on the campus of Trinity Law School which provides pro bono legal services to churches and individuals, primarily involving the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties. Students hone legal writing skills in this writing-intense clinic while under the supervision of an attorney specializing in constitutional law. Students are exposed to writing trial motions and appellate briefs for important religious freedom matters. LA 959o meets practical skills requirement. This clinic is available for in-person or remote students. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 959t Trinity Mediation Clinic - 3 Units
This clinic operates in conjunction with the Orange County Superior Court and Waymakers OC. Students have hands-on experience providing mediation services to disputants while operating under the direction of a professor who is both a mediator and licensed attorney. As mediators, the students act as third-party neutrals to help litigants facilitate a resolution of their pending lawsuits. This clinic equips students interested in entering the field of alternative dispute resolution or those who would like to incorporate peacemaking principles into their own legal practice. This clinic is available for in-person or remote students. LA 959t meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 959u Trinity Religious Liberty Clinic - 3 Units
This clinic is a partnership with the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI). PJI is a non-profit organization with offices on the campus of Trinity Law School which provides pro bono legal services to churches and individuals, primarily involving the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties. Students hone legal writing skills in this writing-intense clinic while under the supervision of an attorney specializing in constitutional law. Students are exposed to writing trial motions and appellate briefs for important religious freedom matters. This clinic is available for in-person or remote students. LA 959u meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 959v Trinity Immigration Clinic - 3 Units
Under the supervision of a Trinity Law School professor and attorney, students work with non-profit, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide legal services in areas such as asylum, Temporary Protected Status, Adjustment of Status, removal, and other immigration-related issues. Students receive instruction on representation, case analysis, interviewing, case preparation, and generally serving client needs. This is a virtual clinic. LA 959v meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 959w Trinity Immigration Clinic - 1 Unit
Under the supervision of a Trinity Law School professor and attorney, students work with non-profit, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide legal services in areas such as asylum, Temporary Protected Status, Adjustment of Status, removal, and other immigration-related issues. Students receive instruction on representation, case analysis, interviewing, case preparation, and generally on serving client needs. This is a virtual clinic. LA 959w meets practical skills requirement. Prerequisite: LA 959f and LA 959v, or LA 959f and LA 959x. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor. Remote/Online.
LA 959x Trinity Immigration Clinic - 2 Units
Under the supervision of a Trinity Law School professor and attorney, students work with non-profit, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide legal services in areas such as asylum, Temporary Protected Status, Adjustment of Status, removal, and other immigration-related issues. Students receive instruction on representation, case analysis, interviewing, case preparation, and generally on serving client needs. This is a virtual clinic. LA 959x meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 960 Administrative Law - 3 Units
Students study administrative law as the body of law governing the actions of public agencies and the regulatory frameworks affecting modern society. Students examine recent developments in administrative law, including significant cases affecting the relationship among the presidency, Congress, and the courts, as well as emerging trends in regulatory oversight, constitutional developments, and agency accountability. Students analyze the core principles governing the balance of power among regulatory agencies, the judiciary, and other branches of government. Students also examine how administrative law protects the public interest, promotes governmental accountability, and regulates industries across multiple sectors, including power generation, finance, securities, consumer protection, labor, and fishing. Through discussion of policy and reform, students develop an understanding of the field's core concepts. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 962a Intellectual Property - 3 Units
Students examine patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade dress, and trade secrets. Students analyze the requirements for obtaining each type of intellectual property right, the conduct that constitutes infringement of each type of intellectual property right, the defenses available to accused infringers, and the remedies available to intellectual property rights holders. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 962d Intellectual Property - 1 Unit
Students examine patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and other intellectual property rights. Students analyze the rights and remedies associated with each type of intellectual property and the relationships among different types of intellectual property. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 968 Legislation and Regulation - 2 Units
Students develop a foundational understanding of how statutes are interpreted, how regulations are promulgated and enforced, and how administrative agencies fit within the constitutional structure. Students examine perspectives from across the ideological spectrum (e.g., Brookings, Cato, ACLU, Heritage, Federalist Society, Thomas More Society) to explore the interpretation and implementation of the law. Students engage in close readings of significant cases, conduct in-depth analysis of statutory interpretation, and stay attentive to current developments in administrative law. Students learn how to effectively represent clients, especially people of faith, within the context of a hostile administrative state. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 970 Independent Study/Guided Research - 1-6 Units
Students initiate individualized research on an approved topic under the supervision of a law professor. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 973 From Brief to Bench: A Study of the Supreme Court's October Term - 1 Unit
Students examine selected high-profile cases before the Supreme Court of the United States during the current term prior to decision. Students review the parties' briefs and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments presented. Through this process, students study advocacy at the Supreme Court level and critically evaluate complex legal issues before judicial resolution. At the conclusion of the course, each student serves as the authoring justice and writes a majority opinion for one of the cases discussed. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 974 First Amendment Trends and Exam Analysis - 2 Units
Students survey existing and emerging trends in Constitutional jurisprudence on the First Amendment protections of Free Exercise, the Establishment Clause, Free Speech and Press, and Freedom of Assembly and Association. They deepen their understanding of the holdings and reasoning in the most recent First Amendment cases to hone their analytical skills for exam writing and in preparation for lawyerly advocacy in public law practice and service to Trinity's Mission. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 984c Religion and the Law - 3 Units
Students examine advanced issues in law and religion, including the theological foundations of law and the legal foundations of theology, the relationship between church and state, religious civil liberties, religious discrimination and accommodation, and the legal principles and regulatory frameworks governing churches and religious organizations. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 984d Law, Religion, and Public Policy - 3 Units
Students survey the interaction among law, religion, and public policy as a framework for understanding public engagement and citizenship. Students examine topics including the interaction of law and religion, the role of faith in shaping legal judgment, and the public engagement of the church within a contested public square. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 988a Criminal Law and Psychology - 1 Unit
Students study the psychology of criminal trial practice, including strategies for evaluating and presenting criminal cases. Students examine the science and practice of preparing a criminal case from arraignment through sentencing, incorporating both prosecution and defense perspectives. Topics include initial case assessment; interpersonal dynamics among clients, victims, and witnesses; the use of experts; selection of case theory; and the psychology of jury selection. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 988b Domestic Violence Law - 1 Unit
Students examine domestic violence issues across a variety of legal settings. Students develop critical thinking skills through analysis of domestic violence topics and study how domestic violence arises in different legal contexts by examining both historical aspects and recent developments within those settings. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 989 Moot Court - 1-2 Units
Students gain practical advocacy skills through researching, drafting, and arguing an appellate brief. Students may participate upon concurrent enrollment in 24 units. LA 989 is repeatable for up to 4 units. LA 989 meets practical skills requirement. Prerequisites: LA 559 & LA 560b. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 991a Law Review - 1 Unit
Students participate in the publication of the Trinity Law Review. The Trinity Law Review is a legal journal that the student members edit and publish. Members are selected on the basis of academic achievement and a writing competition. Students receive credit for demonstrable competence in scholarly writing and editing. Students may participate upon concurrent enrollment in 24 units. LA 991a is repeatable for up to 4 units. LA 991a meets practical skills requirement. Prerequisites: LA 559 & LA 560b. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 993f Fundamentals of Federal Taxation - 3 Units
Students undertake an in-depth study of federal income taxation. Students learn fundamental concepts including the definition of income, exclusions from income, deductions available for individuals in computing taxable income, the computation of tax liability, basis in property, gains and losses from sales of property, capital gains and losses, and timing issues. Students focus on tax planning and tax policy; more significantly, however, students learn the framework to develop enduring analytical skills necessary to work with ever-changing bodies of statutory and regulatory law. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 994b Employment Law - 3 Units
Students examine fundamental employment rights, public policies, and laws regulating the workplace. Students learn core employment law concepts and vocabulary necessary to identify employment law issues and conduct initial risk analysis. Topics include employee and employer status, employment-at-will, employment contracts, disparate treatment, disparate impact, sex-based harassment and sex stereotyping discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, disability and leave laws, retaliation and whistleblowers, public policy and employment torts, privacy, employment duties, wage and hour law, procedural matters, and remedies. Students focus primarily on federal law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, with selected California laws also addressed. This course does not cover traditional labor law, including collective bargaining or labor-management relations, or employee benefits. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 995f Immigration Law - 3 Units
Students examine the foundations of immigration law and policy. Students analyze statutes, regulations, policies, and cases that form the basis of immigration law. Students study both the substantive law and its practical application through review of the historical and legislative evolution of U.S. immigration law and policy. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 995j Adoption Law - 1 Unit
Students are provided with an overview of all types of adoption permitted under California law, including independent, agency, foster to adoption, guardianship to adoption, relative, stepparent, international, confirmatory, and adult adoptions. Termination of parental rights actions outside the context of dependency will also be covered. Particular attention will be given to the social and emotional aspects of adoption. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 995nb Negotiation for Law and Business - 2-3 Units
Students survey negotiation skills, including strategy, tactics, and planning. Students examine relationships between parties, multi-party negotiations, closure, information bargaining, and initial proposals. Students also examine methods for narrowing differences as well as competitive, cooperative, and problem-solving tactics. Students study negotiation counseling, alternative dispute resolution, and the role of identity in the context of culture, sex, and race. Students participate in in-class negotiation exercises. This course meets the practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 995np Law of Nonprofit Organizations - 3 Units
Students study nonprofit organizations and the nonprofit sector. Topics include the role of nonprofits; theories and justifications for the nonprofit form; nonprofit statutes and other laws governing nonprofits, including the regulation of charitable solicitations; the formation, operation, and dissolution of nonprofit organizations; and tax and tax policy issues related to nonprofits. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 998e Advanced Exam Approaches and Skills - 3 Units
In this skills-oriented course, students focus on the essay, performance test, and multiple-choice question components of the California Bar Exam. Students refine their abilities to identify issues, organize answers, and apply effective testing strategies for essays and performance tests along with tactical approaches to selecting the best responses to multiple-choice questions. Through diagnostics, practice exams, and workshops, students receive personalized feedback to refine their skills in these areas. Students are provided the opportunity to start strengthening their exam skills prior to beginning a formal Bar Exam review course. This course is offered asynchronously online. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 999cr 42 USC Section 1983: Civil Rights Violations - 1 Unit
Students examine 42 U.S.C. section 1983, which permits individuals to bring civil actions against the government for civil rights violations. Students analyze when and how claims may be brought against governmental actors and the governmental immunities that may preclude such actions. Students explore these issues through doctrinal analysis, popular literature, and cinema. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 999g Civil Disobedience and the Christian Lawyer - 1 Unit
Students examine which law binds the conscience of a Christian through the study of biblical exegesis and philosophical theology. Students analyze whether unjust laws ought to be obeyed through the study of ancient literature and film. Students also examine circumstances in which legal institutions are under attack, both domestically and abroad. Students explore ethical and pragmatic questions concerning whether lawyers can or should engage in civil disobedience and, if so, the circumstances under which civil disobedience may be undertaken and how lawyers may prepare themselves and their clients for such action. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 999i Client Interviewing and Counseling - 2 Units
Students focus on the legal principles and skills involved in interviewing clients and witnesses and counseling clients in the course of litigation, dispute resolution, and decision making. Additional topics include addressing cultural differences and interviewing and counseling clients with mental and physical disabilities, children, criminal defendants, and organizational clients. Students participate in simulations of interviewing and counseling and discuss the related ethical and professionalism concerns underlying the lawyer-client relationship. This course meets the practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 999p Estate Planning - 1 Unit
Students apply a practical approach to estate planning by developing a comprehensive estate plan using real-world scenarios. Students apply concepts learned in LA 803 and engage in the analytical process involved in creating an estate plan for a client. Topics include tax planning, incapacity, guardianships, and addressing the specific needs of families. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.
LA 999w Workers' Compensation - 3 Units
Students examine general statutory principles of workers' compensation across state jurisdictions. Students study the history of the workers' compensation system, the nature of work injuries including accident and disease, compensation and benefits delivery, and relevant courts, administrative rules, and procedures. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.