District Syllabus
PLA1203
Civil Litigation


Credit Hours: 3
Contact Hours: 3
Laboratory Fee: None.
Prerequisites: PLA1003 The Legal Profession and
PLA1104 Legal Research And Writing I
Corequisites: There are no corequisites for this course.
Catalog Description: Provides students hands-on experience and practical knowledge of civil litigation from the inception of a case through trial of the case, including familiarity with the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure.
Required Materials: Books:
  • McCord. Litigation Paralegal (Set:Txt/Wkbk), 5 ed., Cengage Learning, 2007. ISBN: 9781428323445
  • The Florida Bar. Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, Rules of Judical Administration Small Claims Rules Evidence Code, 2010 ed., The Florida Bar, 2010. ISBN: 9781422460566
Supplemental Materials:
Special Requirements: None
Program Learning Outcomes: 
Upon completion of this course, the student will demonstrate: 
 1. A command of the basic legal terminology used in civil
    law and procedure;
 2. Knowledge of the structure and organization of the civil
   justice system; 
 3. An understanding of the role of the paralegal in civil
    litigation;			
 4. The ability to identify and define the basic elements of many 
    civil actions as well as recognize and reason about the legal
    issues related  to those elements;
 5. An understanding of witness interview techniques;
 6.  Knowledge of the forms of discovery and the use of each
 7. Familiarity with civil process, summons, pleadings, and motions
 8. A proficiency in drafting motions and discovery requests;
 9. An understanding of pretrial procedure, the trial process 
    and appeal;     
 10. An understanding and ability to use the Florida Rules of Civil
     Procedure.
Course Learning Outcomes: 
1. Understand the context of the civil litigation process, the 
function of the various constituencies, and the role of the       
paralegal within this framework.

2. Develop foundational knowledge of the civil law, understand its 
origin and evolution, and its application and importance in modern 
society.

3. Develop foundational knowledge knowledge of the civil court 
system.
Methods of Evaluation: Evaluation of student progress towards achieving the stated learning outcomes and performance objectives is the responsibility of the instructor, within the policies of the college and the department. Detailed explanations are included in the expanded Syllabus developed by the instructor for each section being taught.
Flexibility: It is the intention of the instructor to accomplish the objectives specified in the course syllabus. However, circumstances may arise which prohibit the fulfilling of this endeavor. Therefore, this syllabus is subject to change. When possible, students will be notified of any change in advance of its occurrence.
Student Email Accounts Pensacola State College provides an institutional email account to all credit students. Pirate Mail is the official method of communication, and students must use Pirate Mail when communicating with the College. In cases where companion software is used for a particular class, emails may be exchanged between instructor and student using the companion software.
Note: For students with a disability that falls under the Americans with Disability Act or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, it is the responsibility of the student to notify Student Resource Center for ADA Services to discuss any special needs or equipment necessary to accomplish the requirements for this course. Upon completion of registration with the Student Resource Center for ADA Services office, specific arrangements can be discussed with the instructor.