The course begins with an overview of the concept of punishment and goes on to study the burden of proof and criminal defenses; it also provides a critical look at the most common crimes. Students will learn common terminology in criminal law and how to consider a crime thoroughly in terms of its elements.

Instructor:

Daire Irwin

This is an accelerated course. Students will be expected to spend an average of 8 hours per week reading and completing writing assignments. Please note that extensions will not be granted for this online course. 70% is the minimum passing score on all tests and assignments for this course. Students may consider working ahead in the curriculum if they have the time. Coursework in Criminal Law is equivalent to 45 clock hours of study.

Successful completion of Paralegal I and II, or equivalent experience.

Required textbooks for this course:

• Criminal Law in a Nutshell, most recent edition. St Paul: West Group by Arnold H. Loewy.

Highly Recommended Legal Resources:

• Oran’s Dictionary of the Law, 4th Edition, by Daniel Oran. Clifton Park: Delmar Cengage Learning
• WESTLAW, legal research access, available for the duration of the course for only $75. Order Online Now

For more information, call The Center for Legal Studies at 800-522-7737, or visit our Online Store to order.

Writing Assignments:

For each lesson you will submit a 50-point short answer/essay assignment covering the topics in that lesson’s reading. These assignments are due by 9:00 a.m. each Friday.

Exams:

You will complete two exams. Each is worth 100 points. The Mid-term exam is to be submitted with your Lesson Three Assignments; the Final exam is to be submitted with your Lesson Six Assignments.

Bulletin Board Assignments:

You will also post your responses to six class participation assignments. These assignments are referred to as Bulletin Board Submissions and will be submitted by either selecting Bulletin Board Submission from within the lesson material, or by selecting ‘Forums’ under Activities on the Left Hand Block.

All lesson objectives, assignments, and tests can be found in the Lesson Materials.

Your grade will be based on your completion of six writing assignment assignments, two exams, and class participation/Bulletin Board Submissions. The exams and writing assignments can be accessed from within the lesson material, or by selecting ‘Assignments’ under Activities on the Left Hand Block. You will have the opportunity to engage in “class participation” by using the Bulletin Board tool to respond to the bulletin board assignments throughout the course. Also, participating in the bulletin board assignments will enhance your understanding of the reading material.

Your final grade will be figured as follows:

• The six writing assignments are worth 50 points each and comprise 40% of your grade.
• The two exams are worth 100 points and comprise 40% of your grade.
• Your participation in class participation assignments comprises 20% of your grade.

Students may drop the course with a full tuition refund less a non-refundable $15 administrative fee if written notice is sent to The Center for Legal Studies by email at info@legalstudies.com by the Wednesday before class begins. Students may drop the course with a 50% tuition refund if written notice is sent to The Center for Legal Studies by email at info@legalstudies.com anytime from the Thursday before the course begins until the first Thursday of class. After the first Thursday of class, no refunds will be issued.