Juris Doctor

The Juris Doctor Program Mission

The Juris Doctor (JD) program at Trinity Law School is a rigorous program of legal education that prepares its students, upon graduation, for admission to the bar and for effective, ethical, and responsible participation as members of the legal profession. 

Juris Doctor Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the JD program, the graduate shall, at a minimum, include competency in the following:

• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the law in key areas tested on the California Bar Exam by obtaining a grade of C or higher on a class examination.
• Demonstrate that law may be practiced as a tool of ministry through pro-bono or low-cost legal services.
• Identify and formulate the legal issues and theories that apply to the facts of a described situation or problem in the content area as demonstrated by successful performance on an examination.
• Compare case law to a given set of facts, using it to determine the appropriate action as demonstrated by written case briefs and participation in classroom discussion.
• Integrate biblical principles to content area topics by classroom discussion and/or assignments.

Academic Year

The academic calendar consists of 15-week semesters – each fall and spring – with the option of taking additional courses during the summer session. Courses are typically offered in-person during the day or in the evening as well as online in the evening to facilitate full- and part-time programs of study. Please see the academic calendar in the Catalog or on the school's website for semester and session start and end dates, registration deadlines, and holidays.

Degree Requirements

To graduate with a JD degree, students must successfully complete the prescribed program of 90 units of study within 5 years. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or above is required for the JD degree.

Students wishing to complete the JD program in 3 years should maintain a unit load of 15 units per semester. Students wishing to complete the program on a part-time basis should maintain a unit load of 12 units per semester. Students may be able to reduce their semester unit load by enrolling in summer session courses. Students are required to take a minimum of 9 units each semester.

Students wishing to enroll in more than 16 units or less than 9 units in a semester must submit a petition to the Registrar’s Office for approval.

Accreditation

Trinity Law School is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California. Trinity Law School is a school of Trinity International University, which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Trinity Law School’s degree-granting authority is in connection with its students qualifying to take the California Bar Examination and obtain admission to the practice of law in California based on accreditation by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California.

Admission to Practice Law in California

Accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California, the JD program fulfills the requirements pertaining to admission to the practice of law in California. Graduates are qualified to take the California Bar Examination.

Admission to Practice Law Outside of California

Study at, or graduation from, this law school may not qualify a student to take the bar examination or be licensed to practice law in jurisdictions other than California. A student who intends to seek licensure to practice law outside of California at any time during the student's career should contact the admitting authority for information regarding its education and licensure requirements prior to enrolling at this law school.

Out-of-State Students

Students coming from out-of-state to attend in-person courses at Trinity Law School should make sure that they have secured suitable housing and transportation to ensure that these issues do not become an impediment to academic success. Trinity Law School does not provide on-campus housing. However, there are several apartment complexes with one-, two-, or three-bedroom units located near campus offering a range of rental rates, leasing, and amenities options.

Out-of-state, in-person applicants should contact the Admissions Office for information on housing and essential services.

Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities requiring special arrangements will be accommodated upon petition, with supporting documentation of the disability, and upon approval of the Registrar's Office. Special accommodations will be carefully tailored to meet the documented need in accordance with the Trinity Law School disability policy. An informational packet detailing the services available for students with disabilities can be obtained from the Registrar's Office.

Academic Honors

Dean’s List

The Dean’s List is compiled after the fall, spring, and summer semesters and includes all students who have a cumulative GPA of 3.0. For purposes of determining eligibility for the Dean’s List, no grade earned at another law school will be included in the student’s GPA.

Simon Greenleaf Awards for Scholastic Achievement

Simon Greenleaf Awards for Scholastic Achievement are given to the student(s) receiving the highest grade in each section of a course where at least two students are enrolled. A student who is repeating a course is not eligible for this award in the repeated course. The Simon Greenleaf Awards for Scholastic Achievement are awarded annually.

Law-Student-of-the-Year Award

The Law-Student-of-the-Year Award goes to the JD student who, by vote of the faculty, exemplifies the mark of a complete lawyer: warm of heart, scholarly in thought, rich in vision, vigorous in act, steadfast in ethics, exemplary in bringing honor to Trinity Law School, and inspiring to all with whom the student comes in contact. The Law-Student-of-the-Year Award is presented at Commencement.

Dean’s Award

The Dean’s Award is presented to the JD student who has maintained excellence in scholarship while at the same time advancing the interest and reputation of Trinity Law School. The Dean’s Award is presented at Commencement.

Midterm and Final Examinations

With the exception of LA 559, LA 560b, LA 560d, & LA 560e, midterm examinations must be administered in required courses; they may be administered in elective courses at the professor's discretion. In all required courses tested on the California Bar Exam, final examinations must be administered. In required courses not tested on the California Bar Exam, a final paper may be assigned in lieu of a final examination. A final examination is required for LA 559 and LA 560b but not LA 560d or LA 560e. In elective courses, final examinations are not required but take-home final examinations are often administered.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Required Courses
LA 505a	Legal Institutions and Values	3
LA 521	Contracts 1	3
LA 522a	Contracts 2	3
LA 531a	Criminal Law	3
LA 541	Torts 1	3
LA 542	Torts 2	3
LA 559	Legal Research and Writing 1: Objective Writing	3
LA 560b	Legal Research and Writing 2: Persuasive Writing	3
LA 560d	Legal Writing: Litigation Skills	3
or LA 560e	Legal Writing: Transactional Skills
LA 600i	Constitutional Law 1	3
LA 601i	Constitutional Law 2	3
LA 613	Professional Responsibility and Ethics	3
LA 661	Property 1	3
LA 662	Property 2	3
LA 671i	Evidence 1	3
LA 672i	Evidence 2	3
LA 673b	Civil Procedure 1	3
LA 674b	Civil Procedure 2	3
LA 702a	Business Associations	3
LA 764	Community Property	2
LA 783i	Criminal Procedure	3
LA 790b	Jurisprudence	3
LA 803	Wills, Trusts, and Estates	3
LA 822a	Remedies	3
LA 998e	Advanced Exam Approaches and Skills	3
Total Hours		74

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Elective Courses (16 Hours)
LA 523	Contracts Drafting	1
LA 523a	Contracts Drafting	2
LA 543	Open Development in Cambodia: Human Trafficking and Economic Development	2-4
LA 543b	Human Trafficking and Economic Development (Asia)	2-4
or LA 543c	Human Trafficking and Economic Development (Asia)
or LA 543d	Human Trafficking and Economic Development (Asia)
LA 545	Human Trafficking: Law and Policy (Cambodia)	1-3
LA 561	Mastering the MBE 1	1
LA 562	Mastering the MBE 2	1
LA 567	Mastering the Performance Test	1
LA 674d	E-Discovery	1
LA 675a	Alternative Dispute Resolution	3
LA 675i	Alternative Dispute Resolution	2
LA 753	Trial Practice	3
LA 870	Civil Litigation Skills	3
LA 870a	California Civil Procedure and Evidence	2
LA 870b	Civil Litigation Skills	3
LA 872	Advanced Legal Writing: Skills and Strategies	2
LA 891b	Juvenile Dependency	3
LA 901	Introduction to International Human Rights	3
LA 910	The Right to Life and the Law	3
LA 914	Rights of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples	3
LA 916a	Domestic Human Trafficking	1
LA 916c	Human Trafficking: Prosecution of Domestic Cases	1
LA 919	International Forum on Human Rights (Europe)	2
LA 920a	International Institute of Human Rights (Europe)	4
LA 922	Public International Law	3
LA 923b	International Criminal Law	1
LA 932	International Human Rights Protection (Europe)	6
LA 953	Legal Internship	1-6
LA 957	Law Practice Management	2-3
or LA 957a	Law Practice Management
LA 958	Law as a Vocation	1
LA 959g	Trinity Mediation Clinic	2
LA 959i	Trinity Law Clinic	1-2
or LA 959j	Trinity Law Clinic
LA 959k	Trinity Mobile Legal Clinic	1
LA 959n	Trinity Religious Liberty Clinic	1-2
or LA 959o	Trinity Religious Liberty Clinic
LA 959t	Trinity Mediation Clinic	3
LA 959u	Trinity Religious Liberty Clinic	3
LA 959v	Trinity Immigration Clinic	3
LA 960	Administrative Law	3
LA 962a	Intellectual Property	3
LA 962d	Intellectual Property	1
LA 970	Independent Study/Guided Research	1-6
LA 982a	Law and Literature: Revenge, Justice, and Mercy	1
LA 984c	Religion and the Law	3
LA 984d	Law, Religion, and Public Policy	3
LA 987	SHRM-CP/SCP Exam Prep	3
LA 988a	Criminal Law and Psychology	1
LA 988b	Domestic Violence Law	1
LA 989	Moot Court	1-2
LA 991	Law Review	1-3
LA 991a	Law Review	1
LA 992a	California Dependency Law	1
LA 992b	California Dependency Practice	1
LA 993F	Fundamentals of Federal Taxation	3
LA 994b	Employment Law	3
LA 995al	Accounting for Lawyers	1
LA 995f	Immigration Law	3
LA 995np	Law of Nonprofit Organizations	3
LA 998b	Domestic Violence	1
LA 999cr	42 USC Section 1983: Civil Rights Violations	1
LA 999g	Civil Disobedience and the Christian Lawyer	1
LA 999i	Client Interviewing and Counseling	2
LA 999w	Workers' Compensation	3
LA 999y	Civil & Criminal Sexual Misconduct	1
LA 999z	Reading People & Judging Credibility	1
Total hours		16

Juris Doctor Flex Academic Support Classes

Students who have not taken the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) or who do not meet the requirements for the regular Juris Doctor (JD) program may be considered for admission into the Juris Doctor Flex Academic Support Classes (Flex Track). Students must complete one of the five paths below.

Flex Track students must enroll in and receive a passing grade in LA 521x, LA 531x, and LA 541x in the first semester, and  LA 522x, LA 542x, and LA 599x in the second consecutive semester (Flex First-Year Courses). Five of the six Flex First-Year Courses are similar to the regular JD courses with the added benefit of a sixth course focused on improving students' legal analysis skills. The Flex Track courses also include academic support components designed to help students pass the First-Year Law Students' Examination (FYLSX). The Flex First-Year Courses are offered in the evenings (in-person and online). Students who drop, receive a failing grade in, or receive an Unauthorized Withdrawal in any Flex First-Year Course will be dismissed from Trinity Law School (TLS).

Eligible Flex Track students who do not otherwise fulfill Path 1 or Path 2 below have an option to attend a third semester of the Flex Track. If they choose to do so, students will enroll in and complete LA 505x, LA 613x, and LA 783x on the TLS-designated days and times for these courses (Flex Third-Semester Courses).

The Five Paths

Path 1

The FYLSX will be waived for students who both:

• Submit an LSAT score of 145 or higher before the last day of the first semester, and
• Earn a grade of “C” or higher in each of the first semester Flex First-Year Courses.

Path 2

The FYLSX will be waived for students who:

• Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.67 or higher at the end of the Flex First-Year Courses. (Based on the grading curve, approximately 15-20% of Flex Track students maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.67 or higher.)

Path 3

If Path 1 or Path 2 has not been achieved, the FYLSX is required.

• Take and pass the FYLSX after receiving passing grades in the Flex First-Year Courses.

Path 4

The FYLSX will be waived for students who both:

• Enroll in the Flex Third-Semester Courses, and
• Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.67 or higher at the completion of the Flex Third-Semester Courses.

Path 5

If Paths 1-4 have not been achieved, the FYLSX is required.

• Take and pass the FYLSX after receiving passing grades in the Flex Third-Semester Courses.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Required Courses
LA 505x	Legal Institutions and Values	3
LA 521x	Contracts 1	3
LA 522x	Contracts 2	3
LA 531x	Criminal Law	3
LA 541x	Torts 1	3
LA 542x	Torts 2	3
LA 599x	FYLSX Skills	3
LA 613x	Professional Responsibility and Ethics	3
LA 783x	Criminal Procedure	3
Total Hours		27

Final Course Grades

Grading is based upon the relative quality of each student’s response compared with other students in the same section of a course. Grades on individual components in a course are not be curved. Final grades are not an average of grades on individual components. 

For the following courses, grades are distributed according to Table A:

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
LA 505a	Legal Institutions and Values	3
LA 505x	Legal Institutions and Values	3
LA 521	Contracts 1	3
LA 521x	Contracts 1	3
LA 522a	Contracts 2	3
LA 522x	Contracts 2	3
LA 531a	Criminal Law	3
LA 531x	Criminal Law	3
LA 541	Torts 1	3
LA 541x	Torts 1	3
LA 542	Torts 2	3
LA 542x	Torts 2	3
LA 559	Legal Research and Writing 1: Objective Writing	3
LA 560b	Legal Research and Writing 2: Persuasive Writing	3
LA 783i	Criminal Procedure	3
LA 783x	Criminal Procedure	3
LA 599x	FYLSX Skills	3

For all other required courses, grades are distributed according to Table B.

Grading tables can be found in Appendix 1.

Grading Curves

In applying the curve, professors will use the distribution of grades with reference to class size as shown in the tables located in Appendix 1. Professors may petition a Dean to slightly deviate from the curve in classes where a strict application of the curve would not properly measure student performance.

Law Student Registration with the Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California

Students seeking admission to practice law in California must register with the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California within 90 days from the commencement of their law studies. Registration must be completed through the State Bar of California website. 

Petitions to the Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California

Petitions filed with the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California must be verified. Accordingly, students are requested either to appear before a notary public to have a petition sworn to, or in the alternative, to attach a declaration under penalty of perjury in the following form:

“I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing petition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Executed on this __ day of, 20__, at __(city)__, __(state)__.

______________________"
Signature