Frederick Community College

LA240 FAMILY LAW

Spring, 2010

 

Instructor Information:

 

Name:  Mark H. Anders, JD

Office:   Classroom

E-mail:  manders@frederick.edu

Phone Number:  301-401-5158

Office Hours: Office Hours: Before or After Class, by appointment.

Campus Mail Box Number:  221

 

Course Information:

 

Credits:  3

Last Day to Drop:  April 28, 2010

Prerequisites:  EN101

Co-requisites:

Meeting Day(s): Saturday. This is a hybrid class. The class meets face to face all seven Saturdays of the term: 3/20, 3/27, 4/10,4/17, 4/24, 5/1, 5/8

Meeting Time(s):  8:30-11:15pm

 

 

Course Description:

         

Introduces Domestic Law and its application to students.  Includes divorce law; marital separation; child custody, visitation and support; property settlement; juvenile law, child guardianships and adoptions; and advocacy for the family.cts, agency.

 

 

Core Learning Outcomes:

 

By the completion of the course students will:

1.    Understand legal theories and rules involved in Family Law

2.    Identify legal issues

3.    Use critically thinking to apply legal theories to identified issues

4.    Predict outcomes based on legal theories and rules

 

 

Instructional Methods:

 

  1. Lecture
  2. Group Discussion
  3. Audio Visual
  4. Demonstration
  5. Practice by Doing

 

 

Text(s) for Course:

 

Family Law for Paralegals, Ehrlich, Shoshanna, Aspen Publishers.

 

Evaluation Methods: 

                                                  Possible Points     Grade Translation

Quizzes

50  percentage points each

A = 90%-100%

Exams

100 percentage points each

B = 80%-89%

 

 

C = 70%-79%

 

 

D = 69%-60%

 

 

F = 59%-below

Preparation of a Memo detailing issues involves in a Family Law despite.

(A handout outlining the requirements for this assignment will be provided.)

100 percentage points

Your final grade is based on the average percentage score of the quizzes, exams and Memo project.

 

 

Progress Report:     

 

Students will receive some form of written assessment of their progress in the course no later than the sixth week of the course.

 

 

Attendance Policy:  

Students are expected to attend all class sessions except in cases of serious illness, emergency, religious holidays, or mandatory participation in official College functions.  There will be no make-ups offered for unexcused absences.  

 

Students with Disabilities:

FCC provides reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified students with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and amendments.  Students with disabilities who are in need of accommodations must contact the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office at 301-846-2408 (A Building, Room 106A) in order to request and apply for services.  The SSD office will require appropriate documentation of a disability.  Questions related to accommodations or services can be directed to the SSD office.  Additional information related to services can be viewed at the following FCC web page:  http://www.frederick.edu/student_services/disability.aspx.  
If you currently receive services from the SSD office, please submit your Student Success Plan to me and make an appointment with me to discuss your accommodations and needs in class.  I will hold any information you share with me in strict confidence unless you give me permission to do otherwise.

 

 

 

TOPICAL OUTLINE

 

 

Class

Date

Subject

Content

1

3/20

Marriage and non-married families

Regulation; formalities; Common Law; Cohabitating couples; Domestic Partnerships

2

3/27

Pre-martial Agreements; Domestic Violence

 

Quiz #1

Traditional approach;  requirements; Agreements; Considerations; Early approaches; reforms; Qualifying relationships; Covered conduct; remedies

3

4/10

Divorce, Annulment, Separation; Child Custody

Religious Underpinnings, Grounds; Fault Divorces; Defenses; No-Fault Divorce; Law of Annulment; Separation; Custody preferences; Tests involved; Best Interest Standard

4

4/17

Child Support; Spousal Support

 

 

Mid-Term Exam

Enforcement proceedings; Guidelines; What is support?; Specific formulas; Historical  overview of support; reform; determinations, Alimony Medical Insurance; Enforcement; Bankruptcy

5

4/24

Martial Property; Jurisdiction

Overview of Martial Property Systems; Common Law Approach; The Distribution Process; What is Property?; Classification; Valuation; Tax              Consequences; Subject Matter Jurisdiction; Personal Jurisdiction; Jurisdiction v. Property Matters

6

5/1

Divorce Process; Paternity

 

 

 

Quiz #2

In the Beginning; Client Interviews; Initial Steps and Discovery; The middle

Phase-Resolution or Trial; The Divorce Proceeding; Post-Divorce Proceedings; Appeals; The Legal Status of Children; Developments; Establishing Parenthood.

7

5/8

Child Abuse; adoption; Final Exam

 

 

Final Exam

Historical Overview; Child Protective Services; Reporting abuse or neglect; Removal of Children; The Adoption Process; Adoption Placement; Tort of wrongful Adoption

THE OUTLINE CAN BE MODIFIED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE INSTRUCTOR.