Legal Research

Learn key skills for researching legal authorities and cases.

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3 Months / 24 Course Hrs
Open Enrollment
Offered in partnership with your preferred school

Stephen F. Austin State University

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Learning method

Legal Research

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Course code: T14171

This course will teach you how to conduct research within the legal profession. Within law, legal professionals must be able to research and cite case law, and this course explains the authorities, the law library, and how to cite and Shepardize cases properly.

What you will learn

  • IRAC and Sources of Law
  • Authorities of Law
  • Statutory and Case Law Research
  • Resources and Briefing
  • Computerized Legal Research
  • Shepardizing

How you will benefit

  • Gain key skills needed to work as a paralegal

How the course is taught

  • Self-Guided, online course
  • 3 Months access
  • 24 course hours
  1. Using FIRAC in legal research
  2. Sources of law
  3. Resources available for statutory research
  4. How to cite case law research
  5. Secondary authority resources
  6. Using Shepard's citations in legal research
  7. Referring to a case using case citation
  8. Writing a case brief
  9. Computerized legal research as a tool
Self-Study

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites to take this course.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

  • This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.

Software Requirements:

  • PC: Windows 8 or later.
  • Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
  • Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  • Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

  • Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

Your course begins immediately after you enroll.​

You have 3 months of access to the course. After enrolling, you can learn and complete the course at your own pace, within the allotted access period. You will have the opportunity to interact with other students in the online discussion area.

There is no time limit to complete each lesson, other than completing all lessons within the allotted access period. Discussion areas for each lesson are open for the entire duration of the course.

Because this course is self-guided, no extensions will be granted after the start of your enrollment.