the southern california institute of law · degree program and qualifies the graduate to apply to...
TRANSCRIPT
0
THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF LAW Law School Catalog 2019-2022
877 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura, California, 93003 805.644.2327 ׀
www.southerncaliforniainstituteoflaw.com
Microsoft Office User
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
HISTORY
100.0 – HISTORY
MISSION
101.0 - MISSION STATEMENT
101.1 - COMMITMENT TO FIRST AMENDMENT FREE SPEECH PRINCIPLES
RESERVED RIGHTS
102.0 - GENERAL PROVISIONS
102.1 - RESERVATION OF RIGHTS
LAW SCHOOL POLICY OF NON-DISCRIMINATION
103.0 - NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
INFORMATION REQUESTS
104.0 – INFORMATION
LAW SCHOOL ACCREDITATION
105.0 – ACCREDITATION
105.1 - ADMISSION TO PRACTICE LAW OUTSIDE OF CALIFORNIA
105.2 - APPROVAL (B.S.L.)
105.3 - LEVEL OF ACCREDITATION
105.4 - ACCREDITATION INSPECTION
105.5 - FOREIGN STUDENTS
105.6 - STATEMENT OF GOOD FINANCIAL STANDING
THE CORPORATION
106.0 - CORPORATE STATUS
106.1 - BOARD OF DIRECTORS
THE LAW SCHOOL’S ADMINISTRATION
107.0 – ADMINISTRATION
THE LAW DEAN'S MESSAGE
108.0 - MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
THE JURIS DOCTOR DEGREE PROGRAM
109.0 - JURIS DOCTOR
109.1 - PROGRAM DURATION
109.2 - ACADEMIC GOOD STANDING; PROBATION; AND EXCLUSION
2
THE BSL DEGREE
110.0 - BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN LAW
110.1 - ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS (B.S.L.)
LAW SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
111.0 - ADMISSIONS- JURIS DOCTOR PROGRAM
111.1 - ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS (J.D.) - REGULAR STUDENTS
111.2 - LSAT
111.3 - ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS (J.D.) - SPECIAL STUDENTS
111.4 - STUDENT ADMISSIONS, ACCEPTANCE AND DECLINES
TRANSFERRING STUDENTS
112.0 - ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS (J.D.) - TRANSFER STUDENTS
CREDIT TRANSFERS
113.0 - TRANSFERABILITY OF CREDITS
113.1 - NOTICE CONCERNING TRANSFERABILITY OF CREDITS AND CREDENTIALS
EARNED AT THE LAW SCHOOL
PRE-LAW BACKGROUND
114.0 - PRE-LAW BACKGROUND FOR J.D. PROGRAM
THE J.D. PROGRAM INSTRUCTION METHOD
115.0 - METHOD OF INSTRUCTION
115.1 - DISTANCE LEARNING
THE REGULAR ACADEMIC YEAR
116.0 – THE REGULAR ACADEMIC YEAR
INTRODUCTORY COURSES
117.0 - SPRING & SUMMER INTRODUCTORY CLASSES
NEW STUDENTS
118.0 – ORIENTATION
118.1 - STUDENT POLICY MANUAL
118.2 – ONLINE LOGINS -GENERAL INFORMATION
FORMAL REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT
119.0 – FORMAL REGISTRATION
STUDENT REGISTRATION WITH THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA
120.0 - REGISTRATION WITH THE COMMITTEE OF BAR EXAMINERS
120.1 - TRANSCRIPT VALIDATION
3
REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA
121.0 – NOTICE
121.1 – REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA-GENERALLY
121.2 – LAW STUDENT REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT
121.3 – THE MULTUPROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY EXAMINATION
121.4 - THE MORAL CHARACTER EXAM
121.5 – THE CALIFORNIA GENERAL BAR EXAM
121.6 – NOTE: ADMISSION TO PRACTICE LAW OUTSIDE OF CALIFORNIA
THE LAW SCHOOL'S INSTRUCTION SCHEDULE; CLASS TIMES; FACILITIES; EQUIPMENT
AND MATERIALS
122.0 - IN-HOUSE AND ONLINE INSTRUCTION OPTIONS
122.1 - CLASS TIMES
122.2 - PROGRAM FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS
122.3 - LAW LIBRARIES
122.4 - COURSE MATERIALS
122.5 - LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS
ACADEMIC COUNSELING
123.0 - DEANS AND FACULTY ACADEMIC COUNSELING
123.1 - INDIVIDUAL STUDENT COUNSELING & MENTORING
STUDENT GROUPS
124.0 - STUDENT BAR ASSOCIATION
124.1 - STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
THE LAW SCHOOL’S ALUM
125.0 - ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS
126.0 - SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS
126.1 - STUDENT PRIVACY
126.2 - EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE
126.3 – HOUSING
126.4 - STUDENT E-MAIL ACCOUNTS
126.5 - STUDENT FREE SPEECH
126.6 – STUDENT IDENTITY VERIFICATION-ONLINE EDUCATION
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
127.0 - LEAVE OF ABSENCE POLICIES
127.1 - 84 MONTH REGULATION PER ACCREDITED LAW SCHOOL GUIDELINE
127.2 - STUDENT RECORD RETENTION
4
CURRICULUM
128.0 - CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
128.1 - CURRICULUM (REQUIRED)
128.2 - FIRST YEAR: SANTA BARBARA AND VENTURA
128.3 - UPPER DIVISION VENTURA
ELECTRONIC LEGAL RESEARCH
129.0 - MANDATORY ELECTRONIC LEGAL RESEARCH
STUDENT-FOCUSED LEARNING
130.0 - STUDENT-FOCUSED LEARNING PLAN
THE GRADING SYSTEM
131.0 - ACADEMIC GRADE INFORMATION
131.1 - GRADING SUMMARY
131.2 - GRADE CORRELATION
131.3 - BENCHMARK ‘C” (70) GRADE – DEFINED
131.4 - BASIS OF GRADE RECEIVED
GRADING RUBRICS
132.0 GRADING RUBRICS
LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT FOR THE JD PROGRAM AND THE
BSL PROGRAM
133.0 - LEARNING OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT
133.1 - ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
133.2 - PROGRAM OUTCOMES
RECORDING LECTURES
134.0 - RECORDING OF LECTURES
STATUTORY ATTENDANCE
135.0 – ATTENDANCE
135.1 – CREDIT/CLOCK HOURS
CREDIT/NO CREDIT COURSES
136.0 - CREDIT/NO-CREDIT
REQUIRED LEGAL RESEARCH
137.0 - LEGAL RESEARCH
REQUIRED MBE EXAM FOR FIRST-YEAR LAW STUDENTS
138.0 - MANDATORY PRACTICE MBE EXAMINATION FOR 1L STUDENTS
5
REQUIRED ACCESS TO ADAPTIBAR
139.0 - ADAPTIBAR
REQUIRED MOCK BAR EXAMS
140.0 - COMPREHENSIVE MOCK MBE EXAMINATIONS
140.1 - MANDATORY SIMULATED GBX
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AND BAR CERT REQUIREMENTS
141.0 - GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
HONORS
142.0 – HONORS
WRITING EXAMS
143.0 - EXAMINATIONS
143.1 - EXAM WRITING - UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR EXAM WAS GRADED-WRITING TIPS
ABOUT LAW SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS
144.0 - EXAM INFORMATION
144.1 - EXAMINATION SCHEDULES
144.2 –ANONYMITY
144.3 - EXAM SOFTWARE
144.4 - TAKE-HOME EXAMS
144.5 - IN-HOUSE EXAMINATIONS
144.6 - PROCEDURES FOR LATE EXAMINATIONS
144.7 - EXAMINATION ANSWER REVIEW
EXAM GRADES -PROCEDURAL
145.0 - GRADE CHALLENGE
145.1 - GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR GRADE APPEALS PROCESS
145.2 - GRADE APPEALS PROCESS
ENROLLMENT
146.0 - ENROLLMENT AGREEMENT
TUITION INFORMATION
147.0 - NO PARTICIPATION IN STATE OR FEDERAL FINANCIAL PROGRAMS
147.1 - TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS
147.2 - CURRENT TUITION AND FEES
147.3 - DEFERRED TUITION PAYMENT PLAN
147.4 - PAYMENT CALCULATION
147.5 - LATE FEES
147.6 - TUITION REFUNDS; CANCELLATION; WITHDRAWAL; REFUND POLICY
147.7 - DELINQUENT PAYMENTS
6
TRANSCRIPTS
148.0 - TRANSCRIPTS; RECORDS
LAW STUDENT COMPETENCY
149.0 - COMPETENCY IN LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ACADEMIC; PRACTICAL;
PROFESSIONAL
THE HONOR CODE
150.0 - HONOR CODE
150.1 - COPYRIGHT POLICIES FOR COURSE MATERIALS
DRUGS, ALCOHOL, AND SMOKING POLICIES
151.0 - ALCOHOL AND DRUG POLICY
151.1 - NO SMOKING POLICY
GRIEVANCE
152.0 - PROCEDURE FOR FORMAL STUDENT ACCREDITATION STANDARD
COMPLAINTS
152.1 - STUDENT GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE - NON-ACADEMIC MATTERS
DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS AND PROCEDURES
153.0 - MATTERS SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINARY ACTION
153.1 - HEARINGS-PROCEDURE
153.2 - APPEALS-PROCEDURE
153.3 - MINOR PROCEDURAL DEVIATIONS
153.4 - RE-ADMISSION FOLLOWING ACADEMIC EXCLUSION
FACULTY
154.0 - FACULTY PROFILES
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
155.0 - FIRST YEAR LAW COURSES
155.1 - UPPER DIVISION LAW COURSES
155.2 - SUMMER ELECTIVES
155.3 - INTRODUCTORY CLASSES FOR BEGINNING STUDENTS; SPRING AND SUMMER
COURSE OF INSTRUCTION
155.4 - LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING
7
THE LAW SCHOOL'S HISTORY
100.0 – HISTORY
The Southern California Institute of Law was formed by a small group of legal academics
and scholars, and incorporated in 1986, with its first law classes commencing in 1987.
Prior to the establishment of the Law School there was only one other law school in the
entire tri-county of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura.
With modest outside investments, small class sizes, and a mission to offer the low-priced
accredited legal education in California, the Law School has continually sought to
broaden access to legal education, especially to low-moderate socio-economic groups.
Both campuses are located in the high-end professional office districts in Ventura and
Santa Barbara. The Ventura campus is located directly across the road from the Ventura
County Courthouse and Law Library. The Santa Barbara facility is housed in a facility
that has been voted one of the most beautiful old-Spanish décor office buildings in the
city.
THE MISSION
101.0 - MISSION STATEMENT
The Law School’s primary mission is to provide low-moderate income individuals with
an opportunity for a quality legal education.
The Law School’s instruction is dedicated to providing students with the knowledge,
skills, and ethical values needed for a career in law and law-related fields. This mission
is intended to encapsulate the objective of helping to foster a society dedicated to the
principles of liberty as reflected in our founding documents.
The Law School works to broaden access to legal education by keeping tuition costs
affordable, while providing students a curriculum designed to inculcate the highest
standards in legal ethics. Skills in modern legal research, and a broad-based knowledge
of various legal subjects, are included in the curriculum in addition to those subjects that
are tested on the California Bar Examination.
The Law School is committed to supporting this mission with the aid of an experienced
Dean of Law and a qualified faculty, dedicated to the instruction of law and to the
adherence of defined standards of academic admissions, retention and exclusion,
advancement, and graduation.
8
The Law School’s demographic seeks to reflect California’s diverse demographic. It
caters mostly to a low-middle income socio-economic demographic of working adults,
and those for whom English is not their first language, and for those seeking a law degree
for its inherent value.
All First-Year Law Students are required to take and pass a course in Legal Analysis,
where they are trained in the understanding of complex principles of law, and the skill to
convey those principles in writing in a reasonably coherent, persuasive, and succinct
manner within a prescribed time frame. This, in turn, establishes a solid foundation for
achieving competence in written analysis and expression necessary to succeed in the
upper division law courses.
101.1 - COMMITMENT TO FIRST AMENDMENT FREE SPEECH
PRINCIPLES
Emphatically, our Law School is not a politically correct law school. One of the defining
characteristics of the Law School is the commitment to freedom of inquiry and
expression.
Members of the community are encouraged to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn
without fear of censorship. This is so even on topics that are controversial in nature or
have been constitutionally validated by the United States Supreme Court.
Civility and mutual respect are vital to all of us, and freedom of expression does not mean
the freedom to harass or threaten others. You will find that the Law School will expect
members of the community to be engaged in rigorous debate, discussion, and even
disagreement. At times, this may challenge the Law Student, and even cause discomfort.
However, this commitment to academic freedom means that the Law School does not
support so called “trigger warnings,” does not cancel invited speakers because their topics
might prove controversial, and does not condone the creation of intellectual “safe spaces”
where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own.
RESERVED RIGHTS
102.0 - GENERAL PROVISIONS
The Law School reserves the right to make changes to any of the policies, procedures,
codes, standards, requirements, or services included in this catalog as deemed necessary
and in accordance with the academic mission, or to conform to new accreditation or
licensing standards. Any and all changes are applicable to all students in attendance at
the Law School upon posting.
9
Material changes to the electronic version of this catalog are updated as quickly as
possible.
102.1 - RESERVATION OF RIGHTS
The Law School reserves the right to change requirements for admission or graduation
announced in this catalog, and to change the curriculum, class schedule, credit or content
of courses, books used, fees charged, and regulations affecting students at any time,
should it be deemed necessary in the interest of the students or the academic objectives
of the Law School.
The information in this catalog subject to change is not to be regarded as creating a
binding contract between the student and the Law School.
LAW SCHOOL POLICY OF NON-DISCRIMINATION
103.0 - NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
The Southern California Institute of Law admits law students of either gender, of any
race, of any age above eighteen years, without discrimination with respect to color,
nationality, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation, to all the rights, privileges, programs and
activities that are generally accorded to, or made available to, students at the Law School.
In administering the admissions policy, the Law School seeks diversity of experiences in
its student body in order to promote its educational goals.
INFORMATION REQUESTS
104.0 – INFORMATION
Requests for further information should be addressed to:
REGISTRAR
Southern California Institute of Law, Ventura*
877 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura, CA 93003
Tel (805) 644-2327
www.lawdegree.com
Hours of Operation - Main Administration Offices
Monday – Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 6 p.m.
10
Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.
_________________
* Main administrative office and mailing address for both campuses.
LAW SCHOOL ACCREDITATION
105.0 - ACCREDITATION
The Southern California Institute of law has two campuses. The main campus is in
Ventura, with a satellite campus in Santa Barbara.
The Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California has accredited the Law
School’s Juris Doctor Degree Program. This accreditation applies only to the Juris Doctor
Degree Program and qualifies the graduate to apply to take the California General Bar
Examination.
Graduation with any of the other degrees, other than the Juris Doctor Degree, offered by
the Law School does not qualify the graduate to take either the California General Bar
Exam, or the bar exam in any other sister.
Information relating to bar pass rates can be found under the “statistics” link on the
California State Bar’s website at:
http://admissions.calbar.ca.gov/Examinations/Statistics.aspx
105.1 - ADMISSION TO PRACTICE LAW OUTSIDE OF CALIFORNIA
Study at, or graduation from, this Law School may not qualify the graduate to take the
bar examination, or to be admitted to practice law, in jurisdictions other than the State of
California. A student who intends to seek admission to practice outside of California
should contact the admitting authority in that jurisdiction for information regarding its
education and admission requirements.
105.2 – APPROVAL (B.S.L.)
The Law School has been authorized to issue a Bachelor of Science in Law Degree
(B.S.L.) by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) of the Department
of Consumer Affairs only for those students who, at the time of enrollment, do not have
a Bachelor’s degree.
11
The Law School has been deemed an “exempt” institution by the BPPE for the purposes
of students who seek to earn a B.S.L. Degree who, prior to admission and enrollment in
the J.D. Degree Program, have no less than sixty (60) units of undergraduate college or
university semester credits that are transferable toward a four-year general degree in a
college or university that is accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department
of Education.
Students must have a combined total of successfully completed 120-semester units (pre-
law and law school units) to earn the B.S.L. degree, and are required to earn no less than
45 units of the 84-unit J.D. Degree Program for this purpose.
In other words, a student with 60 undergraduate semester pre-law units must have also
successfully completed 60 semester units of the J.D. Degree Program. Similarly, a student
with 90 pre-law units must have successfully completed 45 units to earn the B.S.L.
Degree.
105.3 - LEVEL OF ACCREDITATION
The Law School and its degree programs listed in this catalog are not accredited by an
accrediting agency that is recognized by the United States Department of Education.
Except as provided in Rule 4.30 of the Rules of Admission of the State Bar of California
(i.e., legal education in a foreign state or country), the completion of the Law School’s
professional law degree program, other than the Juris Doctor Degree Program, does not
qualify a student to take the California General Bar Exam, nor do those other law degrees
satisfy the requirements for admission to the practice of law in either California or in any
other jurisdiction.
In all instances, a student intending to sit for the bar examination, or a student seeking to
be admitted to practice law in a sister State, or the District of Columbia (D.C.), is advised
to contact the admitting authority of that State, or D.C. Bar, for information regarding
eligibility requirements.
105.4 – ACCREDITATION INSPECTION
In the Committee of Bar Examiner’s most recent Accreditation Inspection Team Field
Report of November 2017, it found that “SCIL’s curriculum, admissions, scholastic
standards, faculty, library, facilities, Dean and administrators [are] all compliant in
offering students a sound program of legal education.”
12
105.5 - FOREIGN STUDENTS
The Law School does not offer visas for foreign students and cannot accept foreign
students unless they meet the requirements herein. All classes are taught in English.
Translation and language services are not offered.
All foreign student must complete and submit the English Language Verification Form
that is found at the end of this Catalog.
105.6 - STATEMENT OF GOOD FINANCIAL STANDING
As part of the Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California’s annual
accreditation and licensing requirements, the Law School files, with the appropriate
agencies, details of the Law School’s financial ability to meet the demands and
expectations of its Juris Doctor Degree Program.
THE CORPORATION
106.0 - CORPORATE STATUS
The Southern California Institute of Law is a private for-profit institution of higher
education incorporated and organized under the laws of the State of California.
106.1 - BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DEBORAH PUCKETT (Chair)
M.S., University of Georgia
M.B.A., University of Georgia
B.I.S.E., Georgia Institute of Technology
SALLY LaMACCHIA
Attorney at Law
J.D., Southern California Institute of Law
B.A., Southern California Institute of law
THOMAS M. NEAL
Ph.D. Bus. Administration
M.B.A., California Western University;
B.S., California Western University
President, Cal. Coast University, Anaheim
13
DENNIS RASMUSSEN
J.D. Trinity Law School;
M.A., Trinity Law School;
M.Div., Trinity Divinity School;
B.A. North Central University
GEORGE C. SHEN
JAG Officer
United States Marine Corps, Intelligence Specialist
B.S. (Administration) Chapman University
MICHAEL STOKER
Attorney at Law
Former Chair, State Agricultural
Labor Relations Board
J.D., Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
B.A., University of California, Berkeley
SECRETARY TO THE BOARD
ARTHUR H. WEED
J.D., University of Colorado
Member, California Bar
B.A., University of Colorado
14
THE LAW SCHOOL’S ADMINISTRATION
107.0 – ADMINISTRATION
PRESIDENT & DEAN
STANISLAUS PULLÉ
Ph.D., (summa cum laude) Kings College,
Faculty of Laws, University of London
Former Visiting Scholar, Yale Law School
And Research Fellow, University of London
Institute of Advanced Legal Studies
VICE DEAN-Ventura & Santa Barbara
ERIC POMMER
J.D., Thomas Jefferson School of Law
Member, California Bar
M.S., University of Southern California
B.A., Pomona College
DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS & STUDENT AFFAIRS
KEVIN MAUSETH
J.D., (cum laude) Southern California Institute of Law
(Valedictorian)
Member, California Bar
B.A., University of California, Santa Barbara
DIRECTOR OF DISTANCE LEARNING
LAUREL A. FIELDEN
J.D., Southern California Institute of Law
B.S., Oregon State University
REGISTRAR
VIANNEY AMBRIZ
THE LAW DEAN'S MESSAGE
108.0 - MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
When we embarked upon a venture of establishing a law school, we were reminded
of the aspirations of Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, that the business of a law school is
“to teach law in the grand manner and to make great lawyers.”
15
The number of years of law school study provide students with a unique
opportunity not only to learn the basic principles and substantive map, analytical skills
and how to act like a lawyer, but also to explore in depth the larger questions which
relate law and lawyers to the texture of social life. Without these skills, it is possible for
many graduates to emerge from law school without any clear sense that lawyers are
individually and collectively responsible, in a very special way, for the quality of justice
administered by the legal system, and indeed in society as a whole.
To fulfill this academic goal, we must reach out beyond the limited objective of
preparing students to pass the California State Bar Examination. While we do not de-
emphasize the need for teaching students the technical skills they will need as
practitioners, a teaching technique that eschews acute analysis of policy and social
questions, and a teaching methodology that surrenders serious intellectual exercise in
favor of confined parameters of rule-learning and memorization, precipitate a culture of
learning in which students emerge from law school without having acquired a cognitive
vision which coherently charts the relationship between lawyers, law and legal
institutions, and the social system in which they interact.
Emphatically, we do not emulate a pedagogy that is focused on “teaching to the
bar,” as is the case with law school instruction in many instances, where the primary
goal is to score better bar pass rates. This is the reason our faculty has consistently been
ranked superior to excellent by independent outside evaluators. However idealistic our
goals may be, it would be a mistake to assume that legal jurisprudence in this broader
sense has no place in the modern law school.
Performing the task that lies ahead of us is by no means easy. In order to impress
our students with the broad vision of legal education, we must count on a faculty with
highly developed expertise in their spheres of teaching. Legal education is not a part-
time business. Therefore, it is essential for our faculty to be comprised of highly skilled
teachers and scholars, with a demonstrable commitment to excellence. Truly, quality
begins with fundamentals.
We are fortunate to have a dedicated and prestigious Board of Directors with
strong academic backgrounds and experience at the helm of affairs, and we are proud to
have on our teaching staff academic scholars with proven excellence in teaching.
16
Our law school celebrated its Silver Jubilee in 2011 and was honored by a
Commencement Address delivered by the Hon. Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Chief
Justice of the California Supreme Court. Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye is the third sitting
State Supreme Court Justice to have addressed our graduates. In 2013, the Chief Judge
of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Hon. Alex Kozinski, was our
Commencement Speaker. Other Speakers have included the Hon. Raymond Fisher,
Senior Judge for U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; Judge Terry Hatter, Chief
Judge emeritus of the U.S. District Court for the Central District; U.S. Solicitor General,
Judge Kenneth Starr; and California Attorney General, Bill Lockyer.
This roster includes State Bar Presidents, Bill Hebert, Anthony Capozzi, and
Thomas G. Stolpman; Prince Zeid al-Raad Hussein, President of the U.N. International
Criminal Court; and Presiding Justices of the California Courts of Appeal in Ventura
(Judge Arthur Gilbert), and Los Angeles counties (Judge Paul Turner and Judge Norm
Epstein). The Chairs of the State Assembly Judiciary Committee, Mark Stone, and State
Senate Judiciary Committee, Hannah Beth Jackson, among other State Senators and
Assembly-Members; and several Presiding Justices of the local Superior Courts in Santa
Barbara and Ventura Counties have all honored our graduates with their
Commencement Addresses. Many thanks to all our past Commencement Speakers.
In this, the fourth decade of instruction, we invite you to apply for admission to
the Southern California Institute of Law and to renew and improve upon the best of the
American legal tradition.
Stanislaus Pullé, Ph.D.
President and Dean
THE JURIS DOCTOR DEGREE PROGRAM
109.0 - JURIS DOCTOR
The Juris Doctor Degree Program requires the completion of no less than 84 semester
units of credit with a numerical grade point average score of no less than 70 (“C” grade).
109.1 - PROGRAM DURATION
The Juris Doctor Degree Program is a four-year degree (evening) program.
There is no on-campus weekday instruction.
17
A student normally takes 9 units per term (15 weeks), and, therefore, 18 units per
academic year (August-April) over two terms (Fall and Spring) for four years. This makes
for 72 units in the regular academic year (August-April).
Since 84 units are necessary to be successfully completed in order to be a candidate for
the Juris Doctor Degree, students are required to earn an additional 12 units outside of
the required curriculum of courses provided during the regular academic year.
Generally, since 18 units are earned (Fall and Spring Term: August-April), students may
earn these elective units by taking at least 3 units per summer school, clinical study,
and/or directed research, for a total of 21 units per calendar year over the course of the
four years, or students may complete their elective units earlier by taking additional
summer school, or opting for additional clinical study or directed research units.
109.2 - ACADEMIC GOOD STANDING; PROBATION; AND EXCLUSION
A student in academic good standing is one who is eligible to continue in the law
program(s). All matters pertaining to academic good standing, probation, and exclusion,
are determined at the end of all final examinations that usually occur in or around the end
of April.
At the end of the FIRST academic year, a student with a grade point average of not less
than 67, but less than 70, shall be passed to the second year on probation. Any student
with a grade point average of less than 67 shall be subject to academic dismissal.
At the end of the SECOND academic year, a student who is already on probation
following the first year of law studies, and who fails to secure a cumulative grade point
average of at least 70, is subject to automatic academic dismissal.
At the end of the SECOND academic year, a student not already on probation, with a
cumulative grade point average of 69, shall enter the third year on probation. Any student
with a cumulative grade point average of less than 69 is subject to automatic academic
dismissal.
At the end of the THIRD academic year, any student with a cumulative grade point
average of less than 70 is subject to automatic academic dismissal.
At the end of the FOURTH academic year, any student with a cumulative grade point
average of less than 70 is subject to automatic academic dismissal.
18
THE BSL DEGREE
110.0 - BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN LAW
The Law School has been authorized to issue a Bachelor of Science in Law Degree
(B.S.L.) by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) of the California
Department of Consumer Affairs for any student who does not possess a pre-law
Bachelor’s degree.
Students who seek to earn a B.S.L. degree must, prior to admission and enrollment in the
J.D. Degree Program, have no less than sixty (60) units of undergraduate college or
university semester credits that are transferable toward a four year general degree in a
college or university that is accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department
of Education.
It is the full responsibility of the student to ensure that he or she has no less than 60
undergraduate college units that are transferable toward a four-year degree approved by
at least a regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
In addition to general education requirements, all legal studies majors take courses in the
Law of Contracts, Law of Torts, Criminal Law, Civil Procedure, Ethics, Legal Research,
and Legal Analysis and Writing. Although law students must complete the majority of
the degree on campus, the program does provide some online class options.
A variety of jobs are associated with a BSL Degree in both the private and public sectors.
Several career options in private law firms are associated with a Bachelor’s degree in
Legal Studies. These include work as a paralegal, legal assistant, and legal administrator.
Criminal justice and law enforcement careers are associated with a Bachelor’s degree in
Legal Studies. They include jobs such as correctional officer, police officer, investigator,
and detective. Educational requirements vary for these positions.
110.1 - ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS (B.S.L.)
All regular applicants who do not possess a prior Bachelor’s degree, and who qualify for
admission to the Juris Doctor Degree Program, are automatically eligible for enrollment
in the B.S.L. Degree Program.
19
LAW SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
111.0 - ADMISSIONS- JURIS DOCTOR PROGRAM
Law Students are admitted three times per year. Enrollment is offered in the Fall Term
(August), Spring Term (March) and Summer Term (June).
The regular academic year consists of courses spanning 30-weeks of instruction that
commence in the Fall Term from August – December (15 weeks) and continues through
the Spring Term from January – April (15-weeks).
The Law School also has Winter-Spring-Summer enrollment. This involves 30-weeks of
instruction that commences in the Winter Term from January-April (15 weeks) and
continues through the Summer Term from May-August (15 weeks).
A student seeking admission to the Law School must present a completed application for
admission on an official form accompanied by a non-refundable application fee of
$35.00. The application will not be processed unless the fee has been paid.
No later than forty-five (45) days from the date of registration, the Law School must have
received from an applicant all prior official transcripts from all undergraduate, graduate
and post-graduate colleges and/or universities attended, including, if applicable, the
official transcripts of any prior law study. These transcripts will not be returned.
First-Year Law Students who entered either in the Fall or Winter, and successfully
completed 30-weeks of instruction, are advanced into their second year upon completion
of the Mock Baby Bar Exam that is administered by the Law School.
111.1 - ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS (J.D.) - REGULAR STUDENTS
I. An applicant holding a Bachelor’s degree from a qualified institution, with generally
no less than a 3.0 cumulative grade point average, may be admitted as a Regular Student.
(A qualified institution is a college or university that has been approved by a regional or
nationally accredited licensing agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education.);
or
II. An applicant who has earned an Associate in Arts Degree or an Associate in Science
Degree, with generally no less than a 3.0 cumulative grade point average from a qualified
institution in California. The Specialized Associate Degree (Occupational) and the
Associate of Applied Science Degree, and other associate level degrees which are
vocationally orientated, do not satisfy this subsection; or
20
III. The studies completed prior to admission constituted not less than one-half the total
acceptable for a Bachelor’s degree at a qualified institution, and
(a) at least 90 percent of the total credits necessary to satisfy the requirements of this
subsection were in courses with academic, non-vocational, and nonoccupational content,
(b) the applicant’s grade average on all subjects undertaken was at least equal to that
required for graduation from the institution attended, and
(c) the applicant’s grade average on all courses with substantive content was at least equal
to that required for graduation from the institution attended. The applicant must have
satisfied the general education requirements for acceptance at a qualified institution.
It is the full responsibility of the student to ensure that he or she has no less than 60
undergraduate college units prior to admission, that are transferable toward a four -year
college degree, that is approved by at least a regional accrediting agency recognized by
the U.S. Department of Education.
111.2 – LSAT
Except for students with a Bachelor’s degree, all other regular students must take the Law
School Admission Test (LSAT) within six (6) months of registration into the Law School,
unless an extension has been provided for good cause. The student’s score is to be used
only for statistical purposes, and not for purposes of Admissions to the Juris Doctor
Degree Program. Students who score less than a 50th percentile score will be subject to
mandatory academic counseling.
Information about the LSAT can be obtained from Law Services, P.O. Box 2000,
Newtown, Pennsylvania 18940-0998; (215) 968-1001; www.lsac.org.
111.3 - ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS (J.D.) - SPECIAL STUDENTS
These are applicants who, for one reason or another, have been unable to complete
enough collegiate work to qualify under the Regular Student status; see, infra, at § 111.1.
Applicants in this category must take the LSAT and submit the score prior to admission.
An LSAT score at, or above, the 50th percentile is normally required. Scores that are
more than four years old are generally not acceptable.
21
Applicants must also, as a condition of acceptance into the Law School Program, achieve
the required passing scores listed below on designated CLEP (College Level Examination
Program) exams:
1. The passing score for the mandatory English Composition or English Composition
with Essay is 50 or higher.
2. Two of the following general examinations must also be taken, with a passing score of
50 or higher:
• Humanities • Mathematics • Natural Sciences • Social Sciences & History
Information about, and applications for, the CLEP exams may be obtained from the
Director of Admissions, or directly from:
The College Board
2099 Gateway Place #480
San Jose, CA 95110
(408) 452-1400 ext. 129
www.collegeboard.com/clep
Those applicants seeking admission as Special Students must also submit a written
statement describing their experience and training in order to help to establish their
potential to succeed in the study of law.
At the end of the first year of study, Special Students are required to take and pass the
First-Year Law Students’ Examination (“FYLSX” or “Baby Bar”), administered by the
Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California. The student must pass the
FYLSX in no more than three consecutive administrations prior to having credits
earned in any upper division classes count toward the overall 84 units required for
graduation.
111.4 - STUDENT ADMISSIONS, ACCEPTANCE AND DECLINES
1. Applicants may first contact the Law School in person, via e-mail, telephone, or via
the website inquiring about the Law School and enrollment procedures. Applicants
are advised of the floor Admissions Standards applicable to California State
Accredited Law Schools. If the prospective student does not meet these standards,
they are advised not to apply at this time and thus save on related application fees.
2. If the applicant meets the basic floor requirements as stated in the Law School
Catalog, they are advised that they may apply for admission.
22
3. If the applicant has met the basic Admissions Requirements, they are required to make
a one-on-one appointment with one of the Deans. At this time, the Applicant is
informed of the Law School’s mission, its Academic Program, its Standards of
Academic Good Standing, the teaching pedagogy, academic and ethical expectations,
assessment and learning outcomes, as well as a discussion of the requisite time
commitments.
4. If the applicant has met, or exceeded, the basic floor Admission Requirements, and
there is nothing in the Law School Application form that would raise any question(s)
concerning the Applicant’s honesty and integrity, the Applicant will receive an
Acceptance Letter, and a tentative class schedule, course syllabi, book list, and a list
of fees, and a registration form. The Applicant must then schedule a one-on-one
interview with the Director of Distance Learning. During this meeting, the Applicant
is informed on all aspects of the Law School’s learning management system and its
operations.
5. If the Applicant does not have a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0,
the Application, and the interview notes with the Dean, are referred to the Faculty
Admissions Committee. If the Admissions Committee decides to accept the
Applicant, the Applicant will receive a Letter of Acceptance. If the Admissions
Committee does not accept the Applicant, the Applicant will receive a Letter of Denial
with an explanation for the denial.
6. All Applicants who may be described as “special students,” that is, an Applicant who
seeks admission based on a combination of CLEP and LSAT scores, the Applicant’s
Application is referred to the Faculty Admissions Committee. Following a
recommendation of the Faculty Admissions Committee, the Applicant may receive
either a Letter of Acceptance or a Letter or Denial. If the Applicant is accepted, the
Applicant must meet with the Dean and the Director of Distance Learning.
TRANSFERRING STUDENTS
112.0 - ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS (J.D.) - TRANSFER STUDENTS
A student who qualifies for admission, and who has successfully completed academic
work at a law school accredited by a regional or national accrediting body, or by the
Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California, may be considered for
admission to the Law School and granted appropriate credit for prior law study.
Maximum credit for work completed at another law school is 42 semester units.
23
The award of credit for work completed at another law school as defined herein, is, in all
cases, at the complete discretion of the Law School’s Admissions Committee. And, in no
event will credit be given for work in which the student received a grade lower than the
minimum grade point average required for graduation at the school attended. Review the
Transfer Student Credit Evaluation Form at the end of this Catalog for more information.
If an Applicant is required to re-take any course(s) for which credit was awarded in the
prior law school, the Law School will not charge tuition for the course(s) repeated at the
Law School.
If, for any reason, an Applicant who qualifies for Admission and is awarded transfer units
disagrees with either (1) the number of transfer credits extended, or (2) the subjects for
which credit is, or is not, awarded, such Applicant may appeal to the Academic Standards
Committee for a review of the Admissions Officer’s proposed transfer units.
Transfer units accepted will count toward the requirements for graduation; however, the
student’s previous grade point average will not be computed into the student’s grade point
average at the Law School.
Note: The Law School does not offer credit for prior experiential learning.
CREDIT TRANSFERS
113.0 - TRANSFERABILITY OF CREDITS
Credits earned at the Law School may or may not be transferred to another educational
institution. Transferability is dependent upon whether the other educational institution
accepts credits earned at California Accredited Law Schools.
113.1 - NOTICE CONCERNING TRANSFERABILITY OF CREDITS AND
CREDENTIALS EARNED AT THE LAW SCHOOL
Several American Bar Association Accredited Law Schools have, at their complete
discretion, accepted credits earned at our Law School toward the First Professional
Degree in Law (J.D.).
Acceptance of the credits earned at the Law School that apply towards the Law School’s
Juris Doctor Degree Program or the Bachelor of Science in Law Program, is at the
complete discretion of the institution to which you may seek to transfer.
24
If the Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Science in Law credits that are earned at the Law School
are not accepted in whole, or in part, at the institution to which transfer is sought, the
transferring student may be required to repeat some, or all, of the coursework at that
institution.
PRE-LAW BACKGROUND
114.0 - PRE-LAW BACKGROUND PRIOR TO ADMITTANCE TO THE J.D.
PROGRAM
The Law School does not prescribe a definite pre-legal curriculum for any applicant;
however, a broad general education is usually considered the better preparation for the
law than specialized areas of study.
THE J.D. DEGREE PROGRAM INSTRUCTION METHOD
115.0 - METHOD OF INSTRUCTION
The casebook method of study is the primary teaching technique.
Students at the Law School study State and federal appellate cases that are selected in
order to illustrate specific problems of law, to demonstrate solutions to these problems,
and the reasons for the solutions.
During class, law students may be called upon, or may volunteer to summarize an
assigned case or group of cases. The professor may pose questions about a particular case
or cases, or about a hypothetical set of similar, but not identical, facts, and will require
the student to provide an analysis involving law and the social process.
Occasionally students will be called upon to break into small groups in order to
collaborate on assignments that concern a specified discussion topic, and, thereafter,
write an exam paper that would be evaluated by the Instructor. At other times, an
Instructor may bring in a guest Instructor that is an expert in the topic under discussion.
Law Students may also be directed to practice multiple choice questions or be required
to take in-class quizzes.
115.1 - DISTANCE LEARNING
The Law School offers First-Year Law Students the option to attend two of the three IL
courses per each semester, not exceeding a total of six units per semester, either via live
online lectures, or asynchronous classes that are available via the Law School’s Learning
Management System that is Populi.
25
THE REGULAR ACADEMIC YEAR
116.0 – THE REGULAR ACADEMIC YEAR
The regular academic year is defined as all courses taken during the months of August
through April, which encompasses 30-weeks of instruction.
The regular year of academic instruction consists of academic-year long courses
involving both Fall and Spring semesters.
As in all traditional law schools, the regular academic year commences with the Fall term
classes generally starting in the last week in August and ending in mid-December. The
Spring Term begins the first week in January and ends in the last week in April.
Since 84 units are required for a J.D. Degree, the remaining 12 units may be earned
during summer term, clinical study, or by directed research study.
SPRING-SUMMER BEGINNING 1L CLASSES
Students may also enroll in Winter (January)- Summer (August) for 30- week of
instruction taking the same 1L courses as students who entered in the Fall. New Students
who commence studies in January and successfully complete 1L classes will be advanced
into the second year of law studies upon completion of the Mock Baby Bar Exam that is
administered by the Law School.
INTRODUCTORY COURSES
117.0 - SPRING & SUMMER INTRODUCTORY CLASSES
For those applicants who do not enroll in the REGULAR academic year, the Law School
may offer introductory Credit/No Credit courses of instruction during Winter and
Summer of each year. The units earned in these courses are counted toward the 84 units
required for the Juris Doctor Degree.
These courses offer useful insight for new students into whether the study of law is
something that they wish to continue, and perhaps excel. Should the student choose this
option, among the Law School’s introductory course offerings are Family Law,
Introduction to Law, and First Amendment Freedoms.
26
STUDENT ORIENTATION
118.0 – ORIENTATION
Prior to the start of the regular academic year, incoming law students at each campus will
be advised of Student Orientation Day, which will be jointly conducted by the Student
Bar Association, and the Faculty and Administration.
At this orientation, students will be advised, by written and oral presentations, on those
necessary facts and teachings concerning law school preparation and success.
Students will be provided sample legal briefs, course syllabi, information on available
student benefits and services, a presentation by the Delta Theta Phi Law School
Fraternity, utilization of the Law School’s learning management system (Populi),
TWEN, Westlaw, and the Law School’s website on “Student and Alumni” services, as
well as general law school professionalism.
118.1 - STUDENT POLICY MANUAL
Student Policy Manual is issued by the Law School to each incoming student.
The Student Policy Manual is also posted in the ‘Student Secure Area” on the Law
School’s website.
Students can find information about how to best update their contact information with
the Law School, and all respective electronic educational services provided through the
Law School; how to obtain a student picture ID card; graduation ceremony information
and volunteer opportunities; alumni services and the law fraternity, Delta Theta Phi; and
the opportunities that accompany those alumni services and law fraternity, such as career
opportunities and information about how to connect and submit writings for review to
the law fraternity’s law review, The Adelphia Law Journal.
Detailed academic rules and policies may be found in the Student Policy Manual that
pertain to grades, student rights, obligations and related matters, student confidentiality,
compliance with the student honor code, student financial obligations, student free speech
policies, and information about sexual harassment.
All students are responsible for knowing and complying with all rules and regulations of
the Law School as reflected in the Law School Catalog, the Student Policy Manual, and
posted notices.
Any questions or clarifications on any rule or regulation must be addressed in writing to
the office of the Dean of Law.
27
118.2 – ONLINE LOGINS -GENERAL INFORMATION
The Logins You Will Need and The Purpose of Each
Each new law student will receive login credentials for the online platforms listed below,
and guidance through these platforms by the Director of Distance Learning.
1) Populi: Your Course Information Pages for All Courses You Are Enrolled.
Go to www.southerncaliforniainstituteoflaw.com (the law school website), and scroll
down to “online courses login” then click on that box and it will bring you to the Populi
login option.
Or you can directly access that at:
https://southerncaliforniainstituteoflaw.populiweb.com/
Note: If you forgot your username and password, click that option at the login prompt,
and then follow the directions that are provided.
2) Live Lecture Links: Access to Your Online Classes.
This will be placed into each course page on Populi under the heading “links” in the
syllabus section of the page and titled as “Live Lecture”.
The live lecture link will change for each class.
You must always use the unique link posted inside your Populi course page to access
each class lecture.
The link to access the live class lectures is posted by 6:15 pm prior to each class.
3) Westlaw/Twen: Legal Research, Online Library, and TWEN for Law Students.
You will be provided with Westlaw login information from the Registrar soon after the
commencement of classes. (You will not need to have access to this on the first day of
classes.)
4) Student Secure Area of the Law School Website: Student forms and other helpful
links and information.
You will be provided with the login for the Student secure area from the Registrar soon
after the commencement of classes. (You will not need to have access to this on the first
day of classes.)
5) Lawdegree.com e-mail account.
You will not receive any law school communications via your law school e-mail account
until the Registrar notifies new law students of the change in school communications'
delivery. (You will not need to have access to this on the first day of classes.)
6) You may also like to refer to the following link:
https://lawdegree.com/class-schedules/
28
FORMAL REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT
119.0 – REGISTRATION
Students may not attend classes without formal registration.
Registration for Fall, Spring, and Summer sessions must be completed no later than a
week prior to the commencement of classes.
Students will receive a list of required casebooks and course materials for each class,
along with assignments that must be completed prior to the first week of classes.
Students may register by mail or online.
STUDENT REGISTRATION WITH THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA
120.0 - REGISTRATION WITH THE COMMITTEE OF BAR EXAMINERS
All Beginning Law Students enrolled in the Juris Doctor Degree Program are required to
register with the Committee of Bar Examiners (“Committee”), as required under the rules
of the Committee, and must, at the same time, provide the Committee with a copy or
copies of all official transcripts.
Under the rules of the Committee, any applicant that is admitted as a “regular student”
and does not meet the forty-five (45) day deadline for receipt of official transcripts, will
be treated as a “special student.”
An applicant that is admitted as a “special student” will be administratively excluded
from the Law School.
Register as a law student at this link:
http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Admissions/Requirements
120.1 - TRANSCRIPT VALIDATION
An applicant may be granted conditional admission based upon information contained in
the application, and prior to the receipt of all required certified transcripts. However,
within 45-days of registration, all required documentation must be received, and be in
order.
Failure to comply with this rule will result in a delay of admission to, or exclusion from,
the Law School.
29
Applicants who have attended any other law school(s) must comply with the foregoing
requirements for admission and provide an official transcript of all previous law school
coursework sent directly to this Law School by the school(s) previously attended.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA
121.0 – NOTICE
The Law School is a California Accredited Law School, which provides its graduates
eligibility to submit an application to take the California General Bar Exam.
In contrast, American Bar Association Accredited Law Schools provide their graduates
the eligibility to submit an application to take any General Bar Exam throughout the
United States.
Note: The rules for admission to practice law in the several States, and apply to take their
respective General Bar Exams, varies from State to State.
The Prospective Student is strongly urged to review the State Bar Website of each State
directly in order to ascertain what requirements are necessary both to apply to take any
State's General Bar Exam, and the other requirements that must be fulfilled prior to the
admittance in that State to be licensed to practice law.
For general information about each State Bar's requirements, visit the NCBE website:
http://www.ncbex.org/publications/bar-admissions-guide/
121.1 - REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA-
GENERALLY
The State Bar of California, through its Committee of Bar Examiners, regulates
admission to the practice of law within the State of California.
All Law Students are required to Register with the Committee of Bar Examiners. See
below, at section 121.1.
The California State Bar requires that those who apply to be admitted to practice law
within the State must pass three distinct examinations that are directly administered by
the State Bar of California.
I. The Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam. See below, at section 121.2.
II. The Moral Character Exam. See below, at section 121.3.
III. The General Bar Exam. See below, at section 121.4.
30
121.2 – LAW STUDENT REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT
Law Students are required to register with the State Bar of California within ninety days
after beginning the study of law. This is the exclusive responsibility of the student and
will not be assumed by the Law School. Failure to comply may have adverse
consequences.
The State Bar’s link to register online is available at:
http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Admissions/Requirements
The Law Student is required to comply with all rules and regulations of the Committee
of Bar Examiners.
A copy of the Rules Regulating Admission to Practice Law in California may be obtained
from the Committee of Bar Examiners, 845 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA
90017: Tel. (213) 765-1500.
121.3 – THE MULTISTATE PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
EXAMINATION
In addition to passing the California General Bar Exam, and the Moral Character Exam,
applicants for admission to practice law in California must take and pass the Multistate
Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) of the National Conference of Bar
Examiners (NCBE).
The examination is a sixty-item two-hour multiple-choice examination administered
three times each year at established test centers across the country.
For more information, applicants should visit the NCBE website at:
http://www.ncbex.org/multistate-tests/mpre/
Or, visit the State Bar Website at:
http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Admissions/Examinations/Multistate-Professional-
Responsibility-Examination
Students may take the examination any time after registering with the Committee and
completing the first year of law study, which must be done online through the Admissions
section of the California State Bar’s website at:
www.calbar.ca.gov/admissions
31
121.4 – THE MORAL CHARACTER EXAMINATION
The Moral Character Exam is required to be submitted prior to admittance to the State
Bar of California, in addition to the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam and the
General Bar Exam.
Review the State Bar Website for more information about the Moral Character Exam at:
http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Admissions/Moral-Character
121.5 – THE GENERAL BAR EXAMINATION
The California General Bar Exam, administered by the State Bar of California, has three
distinct sections, which includes 5 essay writing exams; one performance exam; and
a 200 question Multistate Bar Examination (“MBE”).
(a) The Essay Section: Essay Exam Writing is tested through five one-hour
essay questions, spanning any or more of the following subjects: Business
Associations; Civil Procedure; Community Property; Constitutional Law;
Contracts; Criminal Law and Procedure; Evidence; Professional
Responsibility; Real Property; Remedies; Torts; Trusts; and Wills and
Succession.
(b) The Performance Exam Section: The Performance Exam is a 90-minute
written exam that tests lawyering skills. The examinees must be able to
interpret instructions, how to navigate through the exam packet within
established time parameters, how to gather and organize relevant factual and
legal data from a file and library materials provided as part of the exam packet,
and how to use that information to write a passing answer.
Note: The Essay Writing and Performance Writing sections of the General Bar
Exam, known as the Writing component, together make for 50% of the final
score.
(c) The MBE Exam Section: The MBE is a six-hour, 200-question multiple-
choice examination developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
In California (“CA”), the MBE is administered on the second day of the two-
day California General Bar Exam. It is divided into two sessions of three-hours
each—a 100-question morning session; a lunch break; and a 100-question
afternoon session. Examinees must always choose the best answer that is
responsive to the call of the question, and one that is supported both by
applicable law and the facts presented, according to the instructions that
accompany each exam packet. There are 7 subject categories on the MBE:
32
Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure,
Evidence, Real Property, and Torts.
The MBE accounts for 50% of the passing score.
The Law School does not “teach to the Bar.” However, the Law School teaches those
general subjects that are tested on the California General Bar Exam as part of the required
curriculum.
While some accredited law schools have contracted with commercial bar preparers that
influence the content, manner, and type of testing, using test-taking electronic
applications as part of course preparation and examinations, the Law School believes that
passing the California General Bar Exam (GBX) is very much an individual
accomplishment.
The Law School takes the position that teaching simply to the bar examination is more
than unbecoming; indeed, it demeans the grand traditions on how law should be, and is,
taught at top-ranked law schools.
Generally, students with strong pre-law backgrounds and high overall cumulative grade
point averages and Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores, have a higher probability
of success at passing the GBX than those with weak pre-law backgrounds and low
cumulative GPAs.
Studies have shown a very high correlation between LSAT scores and passing State Bar
examinations.
Recent State Bar statistics demonstrate that one major criterion that may be responsible
for lower bar pass rates is a generational change in student aptitude, motivation, and
perseverance.
Nearly all law students, including those from top-tier ABA-Accredited Law Schools,
enroll in an established bar preparation course in order to enhance their chances of
success in the bar examination.
To review more information about, and the subjects tested on, the California General Bar
Exam, visit the State Bar’s website at:
http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Admissions/Examinations/California-Bar-Examination
33
121.6 – NOTE: 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 admitted to practice law in jurisdictions other than California. A
student who intends to seek admission to practice outside of California is advised to
contact the admitting authority in that jurisdiction for information regarding its education
and admission requirements.
THE LAW SCHOOL'S INSTRUCTION SCHEDULE; CLASS TIMES;
FACILITIES; EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS
122.0 - IN-HOUSE AND ONLINE INSTRUCTION OPTIONS
Instruction is in residence, with small class sizes, generally limited to 35-40 students.
Online options are available for First-Year Law Students for up to 6 credits per semester
for two semesters.
122.1 - CLASS TIMES
All classes meet THREE evenings per week from 6:30-9:30 p.m., generally on Mondays,
Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
One unit is the equivalent of 15 hours of classroom instruction. All students are required
to carry at least 18 units (270 hours) during any 12-month period. This is a requirement
of the State Bar’s Committee of Bar Examiners.
A student may be exempt from this requirement only by written proof demonstrating that
the student warrants special consideration, such as serious illness, extreme physical
handicap, or other extraordinary circumstance.
Certain one-unit (15 clock hours) classes may be held on weekends from 9:30 a.m.-5:00
p.m.
122.2 - PROGRAM FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS
The Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Science in Law Programs are held at each respective
campus, which provides access to computers, a law library, as well as access to online
research materials.
Students are required to purchase the relevant course materials for each course prior to
attendance in the first-class session.
Students are strongly advised to take classroom notes.
34
122.3 - LAW LIBRARIES
The Santa Barbara and Ventura campuses are both located within walking distance of the
local county courthouse and county law libraries that contain extensive library holdings.
All law students are entitled to use these facilities in accordance with the rules and
regulations of these libraries.
Each campus has access to electronic research through Westlaw’s online legal research
database.
The Law School offers Westlaw passwords to all students.
Students may also access a number of free legal research websites that allow access to a
broad scope of legal materials. One such portal is:
https://law.duke.edu/sites/default/files/lib/legalresearchweb.pdf
SCIL’s law libraries are open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, and from
9:00 a.m.-12 noon on Fridays. Law students seeking library access on weekends may
obtain a secure key to the library areas only.
122.4 - COURSE MATERIALS
The Law School does not sell books or study aids.
Students may consult the Administration Office for assistance in finding required books
and optional online study materials.
122.5 - LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY
REQUIREMENTS
MINIMUM TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS FOR ONLINE COURSES
General Information
The two main electronic platforms that are utilized by the Law School in order to provide
students with the Distance Learning option are 1) Populi; and 2) Zoom conferencing.
The very basic necessities to attend lectures and courses online are as follows: *
1. a computer;
2. a microphone for the computer;
3. speakers for the computer
4. the minimum internet connection;
5. word document application in order to submit written work;
35
6. a supported web-browser;
7. a webcam.
About the Law School’s Chosen Learning Management System: Populi
Populi is used to support your course information, such as your course syllabus and class
handouts. Each student is provided a username and personal password to access
the Populi system.
The information provided by Populi, in the link below, explains the minimum or
suggested equipment that the student will need to have in advance to access and use the
system properly:
See, https://support.populiweb.com/hc/en-us/articles/223791927-Welcome-to-
Populi- (Last visited on November 18, 2019.)
The Law School also uses Zoom conferencing as the chosen platform to provide live
class lectures. Not all classes are available online. To learn more, contact the Law School
directly via the Registrar at: 805-644-2327.
The suggested and minimum requirements necessary to participate in any live class
lecture(s) are provided by Zoom in the link below:
See, https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362023-System-Requirements-for-
PC-Mac-and-Linux (Last visited on November 18, 2019.)
*For more detailed information consult the Student Policy Manual.
ACADEMIC COUNSELING
123.0 - DEANS AND FACULTY ACADEMIC COUNSELING
Details on academic counseling are found in the Student Policy Manual.
Generally, the full-time faculty maintain an open-door policy to any student seeking
academic counseling.
Adjunct faculty members indicate the times they are available for counseling in their
individual course syllabus.
All students on academic probation are subject to mandatory counseling, as are those
students who, despite being in good academic standing, have secured less than a 70 (“C”)
grade in any subject.
36
All First-Year Law Students are subject to mandatory academic counseling, usually for
no less than one-half hour, on a one-to-one basis with any of the Deans and/or the Director
of Admissions and Student Services.
123.1 - INDIVIDUAL STUDENT COUNSELING & MENTORING
Any student who, for good cause, such as illness, accident, or injury, has been absent for
one or more classes, may contact the Office of the Dean to request individual counseling
for purposes of catching up with missed coursework. Such counseling may be with the
Dean a Vice Dean, the Director of Admissions and Student Affairs, or an individual
Faculty Member.
STUDENT GROUPS
124.0 - STUDENT BAR ASSOCIATION
Each member of the student body automatically becomes a member of the Student Bar
Association by virtue of registration with the Southern California Institute of Law.
The Student Bar Association (S.B.A.) is the coordinating body for many of the Law
School’s student programs and activities. Through its committees, the S.B.A. acts in a
liaison capacity with the Faculty and Administration to assure adequate consideration of
student interests.
The SBA provides leadership for social and professional co-curricular and extracurricular
activities, and seeks to enhance the academic atmosphere of the school.
This takes many forms such as programs whereby students provide academic assistance
to one another, guest lectures on timely subjects, forum discussions in a field of law or
area of controversy and other areas of interest.
Student Bar Association membership is mandatory. The student body consists of students
drawn from a wide range of colleges and universities, many of whom have professional
and advanced degrees in medicine, accounting, and engineering, and are professionals in
the fields of real estate, nursing, insurance, banking, and securities.
37
124.1 - STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
Under the Course materials link of each Course page on Populi in which the student is
enrolled, there is a link to the “Schedules and Course Materials” that will connect the
student to Legal Books Distributing. Using this link students may purchase, or retrieve,
the ISBN information on required and some suggested books and materials listed on each
course syllabus. Other links are provided for those materials not available on Legal Books
Distributing.
Each student will receive a law school e-mail account ending in lawdegree.com where
useful notices and updates from the Registrar will be sent to each student’s inbox, along
with messages from fellow students, the SBA, and the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity.
By clicking on “Student Resources” in the Student Secure Area of the Law School
website, access to a spectrum of online resource materials are listed.
Under the Student Secure Area of the website, students also have access to past
examinations, issue sheets, model answers, and high-scoring student essay exam
answers.
In the menu link under “Registrar’s Notes,” a TWEN power-point presentation is
available. TWEN is a website that assists in class schedules, materials, syllabi, and the
Westlaw legal research database which students will utilize in order to complete legal
research papers. Past released MBE (Multi-State Bar Exam) questions are also found in
the SBA Course Page on TWEN.
THE LAW SCHOOL’S ALUM
125.0 - ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
The SCIL Alumni Association is a small but active association whose purpose is to
advance the ideals and objectives of the legal profession, to provide the Law School’s
alum with networking, continuing education and social opportunities, in addition to
assisting and mentoring students of the Southern California Institute of Law
For more information visit the alumni link below:
https://www.lawschoolalumniscil.com/
38
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS
126.0 - SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS
A. It is the Law School’s policy to provide reasonable accommodations for students with
disabilities, including, but not limited to, learning disabilities and physical impairments.
Students whose disabilities may require some type of accommodation, including exam-
testing accommodation, are encouraged to discuss these necessities with the Deans,
Registrar, or Director of Admissions and Student Services as early as possible.
B. Proper documentation must be submitted on the Law School’s “Request for
Accommodations” form. A copy of this form is available on the Law School website.
Where physical disabilities are at issue, a physician’s statement will usually suffice, so
long as that statement describes both the nature and extent of the physical disability, the
limitations that the physical disability poses for the student, the suggested form of
accommodation, and for how long the accommodation will be necessary.
For those students with learning disabilities, the following is ordinarily considered
reasonable to satisfy the required documentation:
1. The documentation must be prepared by a
professional, such as a licensed physician, learning
disability specialist, or psychologist, who is qualified
to diagnose a learning disability.
2. The documentation must describe the testing
procedures followed, the instruments used to assess
the disability, the test results, and an interpretation of
the test results. If the disability requires additional
time for taking examinations, it must state the specific
amount of time needed.
39
3. The documentation must reflect the individual’s
present achievement level, be as comprehensive as
possible, and be dated no more than 3 years prior to
the student’s request for accommodation, unless, in
the opinion of the Special Accommodation
Committee, extenuating circumstances justify
reliance on older documentation. For J.D. students, it
must adequately measure cognitive abilities using the
tests required by the Committee of Bar Examiners
(CBE) of the State Bar of California under its current
guidelines for applicants seeking accommodation on
the California State Bar Examination. The
achievement test should sample reading, math, and
writing.
4. The documentation must include test results for at
least the following characteristics: intelligence,
vocabulary, reading rate, reading comprehension,
spelling, mathematical comprehension, memory, and
processing skills. The diagnosis should conform to
federal and State guidelines, including, for J.D.
students, those issued by the CBE of the State Bar of
California.
C. At the discretion of the Special Accommodations Committee, documentation different
from, or in addition to, that described above may be required, including documentation
more current than those listed above. Documentation from one or more additional
physicians, or other professionals, may be required.
D. The Law School reserves the right to require the student to obtain a second opinion,
especially in the case where the documentation is supplied by a physician who is a close
blood relative or friend of the student. After reviewing the student petition, the Law
School will either grant or deny the request for accommodation. In some circumstances,
a student may be required to file updated documentation necessary to show the need for
continued accommodation.
E. Any special accommodations extended by the Law School will be reasonable based
upon the nature of the disability and the Law School’s current resources.
F. Typically, where petition for special accommodations has been granted, the student
will be provided time and one-half for answering essay examination questions.
40
G. Any special accommodation granted a student by the Law School does not infer that
the Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California, or any other State Bar,
will necessarily grant such accommodation to the student taking any examinations
administered by any State Bar.
H. Those students enrolled in the J.D. Degree Program receiving accommodations should
contact the State Bar regarding accommodations on the FYLSX and the General Bar
Examination. The State Bar will determine what accommodations the examinee is
entitled, independent of any decision taken by the Law School.
I. Prior to registering for examinations administered by the State Bar, students with
disabilities are herein advised to check with the State Bar. The State Bar may deny, or
offer more limited accommodations on exams than those provided by the Law School.
126.1 - STUDENT PRIVACY
STUDENT RECORDS AND STUDENT PRIVACY
The Institute complies with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act of 1974 (FERPA), which was enacted to protect the privacy of educational records,
to establish the right of students to inspect and review their educational records, and to
provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal
and formal hearings. The policies and procedures established by the Institute is in
accordance with the provisions of the Act.
Granting Access to Student Academic Records
The Institute acknowledges that there are times in which a student may wish to grant
access to certain aspects of their records to third parties based on prior written consent.
Proxy Access
Students have the ability through written approval to establish third parties as
a ‘proxy’ to share their internal academic records.
Prior Written Consent
Prior written consent is required for the Institute to disclose information from a student’s
education record to third parties (outside of the allowable methods under FERPA).
NOTE: At the end of this manual you may review the Law School’s release of
information form, titled: Authorization for Release of Educational Records.
41
126.2 - EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE
The Law School does not provide job placement services. However, students often find
employment through less formal means.
Announcements of job opportunities are posted on the Law School’s bulletin boards, and
Faculty and Staff members provide an informal referral network.
J.D. students also learn of job openings through the Law School’s Legal Internship
program, or as a result of student membership in the local Bar Associations.
126.3 – HOUSING
The Law School is a non-residential institution, it has no dormitories, and does not assist
students with finding housing.
Both campuses are located in metropolitan areas.
126.4 - STUDENT E-MAIL ACCOUNTS
Upon registration, each new student is issued an institutional e-mail account (domain
address: “@lawdegree.com”).
The Law School will send important email communications only through this
lawdegree.com address—personal e-mail addresses will not be used.
Each student is responsible for checking their personal “lawdegree.com” e-mail account
regularly to be aware of important communications.
The “lawdegree.com” address is not subject to change on student request.
Students may use the “lawdegree.com” “E-Mail Select List” located in the secure student
area of the Law School website to locate e-mail addresses for fellow students, faculty,
and staff.
Refer to the Student Manual concerning proper use of this e-mail account.
126.5 - STUDENT FREE SPEECH
The Law School is committed to the principle that freedom of discussion is essential to
the search for truth, and, consequently, welcomes and encourages the expression of
dissent. Freedom of expression, however, ceases at the point when its exercise infringes
on the established rights of others.
42
Student free speech at the Law School does not extend to any speech that constitutes a
violation of the Law School’s Honor Code, or speech that is disruptive of educational
activities, or is otherwise not conducive to a professional learning environment.
Students are not entitled to engage in threats or speech that constitutes harassment.
The Law School is a private institution and is not considered a state actor for purposes of
the United States or California Constitution.
Students are entitled to bring to the attention of Faculty and/or Administrators any real
or perceived conflict of interests between Faculty, Staff, Administrators and/or students.
A. To preserve freedom of discussion and to protect the rights of all, the following
conduct is prohibited:
a. Obstruction or disruption of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary
proceedings, pedestrian or vehicular traffic, or other law school activities,
including public service functions, and other authorized activities on Law
School owned, operated, or controlled property.
b. Detention or physical abuse of any person on Law School owned, operated,
or controlled property, or conduct that threatens or endangers the health or
safety of any such person.
c. Destruction of, or damage to, Law School property, or the property of any
person where such property is located on Law School owned, leased,
operated, or controlled property.
d. Illegal or unauthorized possession or use of firearms, explosives, dangerous
chemicals, or other dangerous weapons or instruments on Law School
owned, leased, operated, or controlled property.
e. Entry on, or use of, Law School facilities or property without authorization,
or any violation of regulations governing the use of Law School facilities
or property.
f. Failure to comply with the lawful directives of Law School officials or law
enforcement officers acting in the performance of their duties.
g. Acts which recklessly or intentionally endanger mental, or physical health,
or involve the forced consumption of alcohol or drugs for the purpose of
initiation into or affiliation with any organization.
h. Aiding any other person to engage in any act or conduct herein proscribed.
B. Removal from Premises
Any person while on Law School owned, leased, operated, or controlled property who
refuses the request or command of an authorized Law School official to desist in any
prohibited conduct may be ejected from such premises, where such conduct constitutes a
disruption to public order.
43
C. Violations and Sanctions
A student charged with violating the prohibitions listed under Section A will be
subject to the disciplinary sanctions and procedures outlined in the Student Policy
Manual and the published policies of the Law School’s Honor Code system.
126.6 - STUDENT IDENTITY VERIFICATION - ONLINE EDUCATION
The Law School complies with the provisions of the Higher Education Opportunity Act
(“HEOA”) concerning the verification of student identity in online education.
The HEOA requires that educational institutions that offer online education have
processes in place to ensure that the student registering for a course is the same student
who participates in the course or receives course credit. The Act requires that institutions
use one of the following three methods:
• A secure login and pass code;
• Proctored examinations; or
• New or other technologies and practices that are effective in verifying student
identification.
Student IDs, and Usernames and Passwords
All students registered for online courses offered by the Law School are given a secure
user ID and password assigned using FERPA-compliant procedures.
Students may change their password at any time, and are encouraged to do so on a regular
basis.
All electronic platforms used by the Law School, such as Westlaw, Twen, Populi, and
ExamSoft all require authentication and unique user IDs and Passwords.
Attempting to discover another user’s password or attempts to gain unauthorized access
to another person's files or email is prohibited.
Passwords are the frontline of protection for user accounts. These accounts provide
access to safeguarded and protected data and information created by, or entrusted to, the
Law School.
44
A structured approach to periodically changing passwords helps protect user accounts
from unauthorized access. For this reason, all persons accessing the Law School’s
information technology resources must take appropriate steps to create and safeguard
their passwords. Most importantly, this policy helps users understand why strong
passwords are highly encouraged. Creating passwords that are both reasonably useable
and exceptionally secure is the first step in protecting the use of protected online
information for all.
Strong Passwords
A strong password is one that is not easily guessed. It is normally constructed of a
sequence of characters, numbers, and special characters, depending on the capabilities of
the information technology resources.
Typically, the longer the password, the stronger it is. It should never be a name, dictionary
word in any language, an acronym, a proper name, only a number, or be linked to any
personal information such as a birth date or social security number.
It should not be shared with anyone else.
The Law School will not distribute passwords without proper picture identification, such
as a State Driver’s License.
Policy Statement
The Law School is committed to a secure information technology environment in support
of its mission.
As passwords are a vital component of system security, this policy was instituted to
establish a standard for the creation of strong passwords, the protection of those
passwords, and the frequency of changing passwords. This policy sets the minimum
threshold for passwords that protect the privacy of the Law School’s academic, business,
and research information.
This policy applies to all information systems at the Law School.
This policy is implemented for the following reasons:
• To safeguard and provide security to institutional, professional, and personal data and
information, by controlling access to the Law School’s electronic resources and the
network on which they are managed and stored;
• To reduce the potential possibility of electronic identity fraud on campus.
Who is Responsible for this Policy:
• The Registrar
45
Who is Affected by this Policy:
• All students, faculty, and staff.
Types of Passwords:
Exam Software
Legal Research Platforms
E-mail Accounts
Learning Platforms such as Populi and TWEN.
Policy Enforcement Measures
Any student who violated this policy, in part or in full, must immediately change all
effected passwords. If the password is not reset at the request of the Law School, the Law
School reserves the right to remove access privileges to the user that is in violation of this
policy.
A student who is found to have accessed any Law School electronic platform, such as e-
mail accounts, Populi, Westlaw, TWEN, or any other system that the Law School uses to
store information that requires a username and password, where such access has not been
authorized, or where access is exceeded, may be subject to Academic Dismissal.
If you are uncertain whether you may be in violation of any part of this policy, please
contact the Registrar immediately.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
127.0 - LEAVE OF ABSENCE POLICIES
A student may petition the Dean and Faculty for a leave of absence based on good cause.
A leave shall not exceed more than a period of twelve months.
127.1 – 84 MONTH REGULATION PER ACCREDITED LAW SCHOOL
GUIDELINE
Students are required to complete the J.D. Degree Program within no more than 84
months since commencing law studies.
127.2 - STUDENT RECORD RETENTION
All student records are maintained in the office of the Registrar for an indefinite period
of time.
46
CURRICULUM
128.0 - CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
The Law School’s curriculum consists of three modules after the first year, and students
are required to complete all modules prior to graduation.
The total number of units in this required curriculum, that runs through the regular
academic year (August – April), is 72 units.
Students must earn 84 units for graduation. The remaining 12 units may be obtained
through a combination of summer law school, directed research, and clinical study.
128.1 - CURRICULUM (REQUIRED)
Courses in the Juris Doctor and the Bachelor of Science in Law Degree Programs begin
with LAW, followed by a space, and then a specific course number. The numbers
following the space generally indicate the degree of complexity of the subject matter, as
follows:
. Elective Classes 400-series
∙ First-year core classes: 500-series
∙ Upper Division core classes: 600-700-series
. Legal Skills Training classes: 800-series
. Two Semester Classes are followed by bracketed (I)/(II)
∙ Required-course class numbers are followed with an R.
∙ Elective class numbers are followed with an E.
NOTE: Electives are offered on a random basis based on the availability of the professors
and student demand. Electives may be added, revised, or deleted based on Faculty
expertise, new legal issues, and student demand. Classes may be cancelled due to lack of
enrollments. All elective courses are Credit/No Credit.
128.2 - FIRST YEAR - SANTA BARBARA AND VENTURA
FALL TERM SPRING TERM
LAW 500 (R)(I) LAW 500 (R)(II)
Contracts I 3 units Contracts II 3 units
47
LAW 501(R)(I) LAW 501(R)(II)
Torts I 3 units Torts II 3 units
LAW 502 (R)(I) LAW 502(R)(II)
Criminal Law I 2 units Criminal Law II 2 units
LAW 503 (R)(I) LAW 503(R)(II)
Legal Analysis & Wtg I 1unit Legal Analysis & Wtg II 2 units
128.3 - UPPER DIVISION - VENTURA
FALL TERM SPRING TERM
LAW 601 (R)(I) LAW601(R)(II)
Civil Procedure I 3 units Civil Procedure II 3 units
LAW 602 (R)(I) LAW 602(R)(II)
Real Property I 3 units Real Property II 3 units
LAW 603 (R) LAW 604(R)
Community Property 3 units Wills & Trusts 3 units
FALL TERM SPRING TERM
LAW 707 (R)(I) LAW 707(R)(II)
Remedies I 3 units Remedies II 1 unit
LAW 708 (R)(I) LAW 708(II)
Criminal Procedure I 3 units Criminal Procedure II 1 units
LAW 606 (R)(I) LAW 606(II)
Business Organizations I 3 units Business Organizations II 1 unit
LAW 709 (R)
Lawyering Skills 2 units
LAW 607 (R)
MBE Strategies 2 units
LAW 608 (R)
Professional Responsibility 2 units
FALL TERM SPRING TERM
LAW 701 (R)(I) LAW 701(II)
Constitutional Law I 3 units Constitutional Law II 3 units
48
LAW 702 (R)(I) LAW 702(R)(II)
Evidence I 3 units Evidence II 3 units
LAW 804 (R) LAW 805 (R)
LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING: LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING:
Legal Drafting & Pl Tech 1 unit Drafting Contracts 1 unit
LAW 705 (R) LAW 704 (R)
Legal Research 2 units Sim GBX 2 unit
128.4 - UPPER DIVISION - SANTA BARBARA
FALL TERM SPRING TERM
LAW 601 (R)(I) LAW 601(II)
Civil Procedure I 3 units Civil Procedure II 3 units
LAW 602 (R)(I) LAW 602(R)(II)
Evidence I 3 units Evidence II 3 units
LAW 705 (R) LAW 704 (R)
Legal Research I 2 units Sim-GBX 3 units
LAW 804(R)
LEGAL SKILLS TRAIING
Legal Drafting & Pl. Tech 1 unit
FALL TERM SPRING TERM
LAW 702 (R)(I) LAW 702(R)(II)
Evidence I 3 units Evidence II 3 unit
LAW 705 (R) LAW 705 (R)
Remedies I 3 units Remedies II 1 unit
LAW 703 (R)
Writing for the GBX 2 units
LAW 804 (R)
LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING
Legal Drafting & Pleading 1unit
49
LAW 708(R)(I) LAW 708(R) (II)
Criminal Procedure I 3 units Criminal Procedure II 1 unit
LAW 709(R)
LAWYERING SKILLS 2 units
FALL TERM SPRING TERM
LAW 701 (R)(I) LAW 701(II)
Constitutional Law I 3 units Constitutional Law II 3 units
LAW 602 (R)(I) LAW 602(R)(II)
Real Property I 3 units Real Property II 3 units
LAW 603 (R) LAW 604 (R)
Community Property 3 units Wills & Trusts 3 units
LAW 608 (R)
Professional Resp. 2 units
All classes are from 6:30-9:30 p.m.
1unit = 15 hours of instruction = 5 weeks of class one time (3 hours) per week.
3 units=45 hours of instruction = 15 weeks of class time (3 hours) per week.
ELECTRONIC LEGAL RESEARCH
129.0 – MANDATORY ELECTRONIC LEGAL RESEARCH
All students must take a mandatory course in Electronic Legal Research.
All students are required to complete this course following completion of their first year
of law studies.
50
STUDENT-FOCUSED LEARNING
130.0 - STUDENT-FOCUSED LEARNING PLAN
The Faculty engages in an ongoing Faculty-Student Learning Assessment Plan that
includes curriculum development, and various approaches to realizing learning
objectives.
This Plan encompasses the critical components of legal knowledge, practical training,
and professional skills. The Plan identifies the relationship between institutional
objectives, program competencies, and student learning outcomes.
The Plan, based on a Faculty retreat, pinpoints areas of specific deficiencies, and
provides, in place, a curriculum focusing on general remedies, as well as tailoring
academic counseling to students identified as “at-risk.” For example, all students on
academic probation are required to engage in one-on-one mandatory academic
counseling.
Faculty teaching techniques and student learning assessment offers the Law School a
critical opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of its law programs, and to develop
innovative, student-focused learning environments.
To optimize the learning environment, students are strongly encouraged to be active
learners, who reflect on the conditions and activities that engage their individual learning
styles, and to work independently with peers and Faculty in order to enhance their
learning processes.
THE GRADING SYSTEM
131.0 - ACADEMIC GRADE INFORMATION
Students receive numerical grades in courses based upon course content and final
examinations.
Where mid-term grades are allocated as part of the final grades, those grades will
accordingly be computed into the final grade.
Grades given in practice examinations, and for credit/no credit courses, are not
considered for calculating grade point averages.
All courses are graded numerically on a scale of 50-100. See, section 131.1.
51
131.1 - GRADING SUMMARY
Equivalent Scale
80-100 Excellent A+ Above 85% 4.0
73-79 Superior A 85 4.0
68-72 Satisfactory A- 80-84 3.7
60-67 Inferior B+ 76- 79 3.3
50-59 Failure -No Credit B 75 3.0
B- 73- 74 2.7
C+ 71-72 2.3
C 70 2.0
C- 68-69 1.7
D+ 66-67 1.3
D 65 1.0
D- 60-64 0.5
F Below 60% 0.0
(No credit for the course)
131.2 - GRADE CORRELATION
A Grade Correlation Committee consisting of at least one Dean and one Faculty Member
shall examine all mid-term and final examinations in order to establish whether a
reasonable correlation among the grades of all instructors teaching the same class of
students has been established.
The purpose of the Grade Correlation Committee is to avoid aberrational grading
patterns, and to ensure compliance with Faculty instituted grading policies.
Under the applicable Rules governing the California State Bar’s accreditation of law
schools, it is required of all law schools to establish proper oversight over the distribution
and correlation of academic grades to insure fairness, consistency, and balance.
A wide disparity of the grades, or grade distribution, among the several instructors
teaching the same class of students is prima facie evidence of aberrational grading.
Thus, all scores submitted are considered raw scores, and may, with the consultation and
approval of the instructor grading the course, be subject to either an upward or downward
adjustment by the Grade Correlation Committee.
52
A student taking three final examinations, who secures two high scores and one low
score, with a significant disparity, may have the low score adjusted upward and vice-
versa, based on a re-read of that examination.
Any adjustment of any grade in any particular subject(s), that would result in academic
exclusion, will not be made unless all examinations of that student taken at the same term
are re-read by the Instructors.
Consult the Student Policy Manual for further details concerning grade correlations and
grade challenges.
131.3 - BENCHMARK ‘C” (70) GRADE – DEFINED
To receive a “C” grade (70), the basic format, content, and structure, of essay writing is
essential. A student must, at a minimum, (a) state the relevant cause of action (sub-titling
is recommended), and (b) identify at least some of the major issues that form the basis
for the cause of action or remedy, and (c) state in a reasonably accurate manner the
governing law, and (d) make an intelligent application of each of the pertinent facts of
the examination question to the appropriate legal rule to arrive at a conclusion.
Doing all of this usually takes up at least one full blue book per essay question AND with
approximately no less than 1200 words per question. Submitting a mere 3-4 bluebook
pages of written material on a law school examination almost invariably will score a 50
(“F”) grade.
On at least some of the major issues, the student must connect and apply the discrete and
specific factual data raised in the question to the corresponding elements of the pertinent
legal rule. In analyzing an essay examination question, never write “from the facts” or
reach conclusions without analysis.
The student is advised to use analytical terms of linkage such as “because”, “since”,
“therefore”, “thus”, and “however”, in relating the specific factual data to the elements
of the legal doctrine or principle under discussion.
Missing main issues, writing incorrect law, or stating abstract law without connecting the
law to any particular facts, or making statements that simply conclude without sufficient
depth of argument or analysis, not answering the particular call of the examination
question, or simply identifying the issues without more, are each a sure indication of a
grade that is less than a 70 (“C”) grade.
131.4 - BASIS OF GRADE RECEIVED
The Law School bases its mid-term and final grades on a numerical 50-100 basis.
53
The equivalent letter grade is stated in section 131.1 of this Catalog.
At the center of the grading system is what constitutes a passing examination answer that
would amount to a 70 or a C grade.
Faculty use a grading rubric as explained in section 132.0 of this Catalog.
The grading of exams follows a curving gradient.
Scoring from 50-60 is far less demanding than scoring from 60-65. This becomes
increasingly difficult from 65-70 and upwards. Thus, the raising of one’s score from 75-
80 or from 80-85 is almost a vertical climb.
The score received on an essay exam question reflects the degree of competency in which
the student has analyzed the various issues in the question.
GRADING RUBRICS
132.0 GRADING RUBRICS
The following scoring rubrics are applied to key issues in an essay question.
Ideal Generally, Earns
All Available Points
Generally, Earns
50% of Available Points
Earns
0 Points
Issue ● Issues as set forth is
dispositive for overall
question being asked.
● Issue is clearly stated in
a way that appropriately
links it to the specific facts
of the question.
● Issues as set forth
is relevant to overall
question being asked.
● Issue is clearly
stated.
● Issue as set forth is
relevant to overall
question being asked,
but not stated clearly.
● Issue as set forth
is not relevant to
overall question
being asked, or
● No issue set
forth at all.
Rule ● Dispositive portions of
relevant rule are stated
fully as given in outline
(or are rephrased in a
legally equivalent way).
● Non-dispositive
portions of rule (or
relevant but non-
dispositive rules) stated as
succinctly as possible.
● Irrelevant rules are not
mentioned at all.
● Relevant rule for
stated issue is set
forth fully as given in
outline (or rephrased
in a legally
equivalent way).
● Relevant rule for
stated issue is set forth,
but is either not stated
fully as given in outline,
or is partially incorrect,
or is rephrased in a way
that is not legally
equivalent.
● Wrong rule set
forth for stated
issue, or
● Correct rule set
forth for stated
issue but is stated
with such
significant errors
or omissions that it
functionally
amounts to the
wrong rule, or
54
● Rules relied upon stated
in a way that specifically
applies to the facts of the
exam question.
● No rule stated at
all.
Application/
Analysis
● All relevant facts in fact
patterns are utilized. No
irrelevant facts are
mentioned.
● Facts used are clearly
linked to the applicable
elements or sub-rules of
the stated rule.
● Thorough
demonstration of how
each stated fact tends to
prove or disprove the
associated elements or
sub-rule of the applicable
rule.
● Many of the
relevant available
facts are utilized.
Few irrelevant facts
are mentioned.
● Facts are linked to
applicable elements
or sub-rules of
started rule, but
either not done with
great clarity or done
inconsistently.
●Significant
demonstration of
how each stated fact
tends to prove or
disprove the
associated elements
or sub-rule, or
thorough showing
but for only some
facts.
● At least some relevant
available facts are
utilized for at least some
elements and/or
significant number of
irrelevant facts included.
●At least some
demonstration of how at
least some of the
relevant available facts
tend to prove or disprove
at least some of the
associated elements or
sub-rules of the
applicable rule.
● No facts stated,
or
● Facts set forth in
a laundry-list
style, with no
linkage to the
applicable
elements or sub-
rules of the stated
rule, or
● Some efforts to
use facts to prove
or disprove
elements or sub-
rules of applicable
rule, but so poorly
or wrongly done
as to amount to no
real analysis.
Conclusion ● Conclusion is clearly
stated in a way that
appropriately links it to the
stated rule and the ensuing
analysis.
● Conclusion is
clearly stated.
● Conclusion is stated. ● No conclusion.
Earns 80-100%
Of Available
Points
Earns 50-80%
Of Available Points
Earns 25-50%
Of Available Points
Earns 0-25%
of Available
Points
Organization ● Coherent
essay structure
for entire
answer.
● Good flow
from paragraph
to paragraph (or
from issue to
● Every paragraph,
issue, or other portion
of an answer is
coherent, but overall
answer either
somewhat lacking in
flow or flow is
somewhat confused or
● Some portions very
well organized while
others are not, or
● All portions
moderately well-
organized but overall
answer included some
fractured discussion or
● Overall
organization is
fractured or
“ping-pongy.”
● Overall
answer
difficult to
read without
55
issue), causing
no significant
reader
confusion.
● Individual
sections or
paragraphs also
well-organized
and coherent.
● Little or no
need to re-read
earlier portions
of answer to
understand
argument and
award all
substantive
points earned.
causes some reader
confusion.
● Some need to re-read
earlier portions to
understand argument
and award all
substantive points
earned.
some digression and/or
causes substantial reader
confusion.
● More than a little need
to re-read earlier
portions to understand
argument and award all
substantive points
earned.
significant
reader
confusion.
● Individual
sections and/or
paragraphs
may also be
fractured or is
“ping-pongy.”
● Significant
re-reading of
earlier portions
required to
make any
sense of
argument;
substantive
points earned
difficult to
identify.
Quality of Writing ● Consistently
follows format
requested in the
call of the
question.
● Overall essay
shows a sense
of proportion
and balance that
signifies a
substantial
understanding
of the relative
importance of
the various
issues
discussed.
● Dispositive
issues are
treated
thoroughly;
relevant issues
are given some
● Generally, follows
format requested in the
call of the question.
● Overall essay shows
some sense of
proportion and balance
that signifies some
understanding of the
relative importance of
the various issues
discussed.
● Dispositive issues
are treated thoroughly,
most relevant issues
are given some (but not
too much) attention,
and very few irrelevant
issues are discussed at
all (and non-
extensively), or some
effort made to
distinguish relevant
importance of issues,
● Significantly departs
from format requested in
the call of the question.
● All issues treated with
the same degree of
detail, or significant
errors made in
identifying dispositive
issues.
● Moderately consistent
use of complete
sentences.
● More than a few
incomplete sentences
(fragments) or run-ons.
● Informal English
grammar utilized (but
generally correctly), or
appropriate grammar
attempted but with
significant or frequent
errors in application.
● Ignores the
format
requested in
the call of the
question.
● Treatment of
most or all
issues do not
correlate to
their relative
importance.
● Repeated use
of incomplete
sentences
(fragments) or
run-ons.
● Other
significant
errors appear,
with sufficient
frequency, to
produce an
essay that is,
56
attention;
irrelevant issues
are not
discussed.
● Traditional,
moderately
formal rules of
English
grammar are
consistently
followed.
● Appropriate
legal diction
employed.
● Jargon
eschewed.
but with some
misidentification of
dispositive issues.
overall, of
unacceptable
grammatical
quality.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT FOR THE J.D.
DEGREE PROGRAM & THE B.S.L. DEGREE PROGRAM
133.0 - LEARNING OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT
BSL & J.D. Degree Program
Learning Objectives
Student Learning Outcomes
A.1
Legal System
This involves a
foundational understanding
of our basic civil law and
criminal justice system; the
dual system of state and
federal laws, the laws on
business organizations; the
essentials in the laws of
evidence, and the
American system of
constitutional government
B.1
Students will be exam-tested on Criminal Law, Contracts,
and Torts; state and federal Civil Procedure; the laws
attending various forms of business organizations, the
laws of evidence the Constitution’s allocation of powers
between the various branches of government, and the Bill
of Rights
57
A.2
Critical Thinking
Students are taught on how
court opinions must be
analyzed and synthesized
in the contextual use of
precedent.
B.2
Students will be tested for on their review, evaluation,
and critique of portions of actual court filed briefs.
A.3
Communications
Writing is one of the most
fundamental tools of the legal
professional. Legal
professionals must: convey
information in a clear, concise,
and logical manner
communicate persuasively and
advocate and defend a position
for a cause.
B.3.
Through its intensive legal analysis and writing program
student be examined on how they comprehend complex
legal concepts and communicate them in a stylized
format in identifying the concrete issue, its backdrop,
and the appropriate legal issue that applies to it, and to
defend the conclusion.
A.4
Professionalism
The legal system frames the
modern regulatory state as
well as the market-based and
market-driven free enterprise
system. Lawyers make a
crucial contribution to the
good of society as a whole.
However, often a lawyer is at
one and at the same time the
representative of a particular
interest, a particular client, a
particular claim, and also an
officer of the court.
B.4
Students through essay and multiple-choice questions
will be tested on how conflicts of interest issues are
resolved. Past bar examination questions will be used as
a metric to test student learning on these issues.
A.5
Legal Research
Legal research materials help
find out what is the applicable
law on a given issue. It is
indispensable in the search for
authoritative decision-making.
They include primary and
B.5
Students will be tested on their research skills by
working on specific research problems. They will be
required to use legal search engines such as Westlaw,
and also print sources.
58
secondary sources. Primary
sources are the law. They
include codes and cases.
Secondary sources explain the
law. They include legal
dictionaries, legal
encyclopedias, legal
periodicals, annotations, and
treatises.
133.1 - ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
To ensure an effective and high-quality legal education experience, the Law School
systematically monitors Faculty instruction and student learning by the use of peer
evaluation and student evaluation, faculty retreats, information supplied by the Student
Bar Association, and the Law School’s Alumni Association.
As part of this on-going assessment of student learning outcomes, the Law School
provides so-called “mock” examinations for students entering their second year. These
“mock” examinations are similar to those examinations administered for law students
who sit for the First-Year Law Student Examination.
Similarly, students entering their third and fourth years of law school will be required to
sit for a simulated bar examination based on subjects they have already completed or are
in the process of completion. Prior to receiving the J.D. Degree, students will be required
to take and pass a simulated General Bar Exam.
To inform future planning, and to generate creative and responsive initiatives to improve
programs, the feedback from these evaluations and testing programs is gathered,
analyzed, and presented for review to the various Faculty and the Executive Committee
of the Law School’s Board of Trustees.
59
133.2 -PROGRAM OUTCOMES
COURSE Required
Demonstrate foundational
knowledge and
understanding of
substantive and procedural
law.
Demonstrate ability to
effectively communicate in
the legal context, in writing
and orally.
Required Courses
Torts I & II x x x
Contract I & II X X X
Legal Analysis and Writing X X X
Criminal Law I & II X X
Community Property X X X
Wills & Trusts X X X
Real Property I & II X X
Civil Procedure I & II X X X
Business Associations I & II X X X
Remedies I & II X X X
Criminal Procedure I & II X X X
Writing for the CalGBX X X X
MBE & Advanced MBE X X X
Constitutional Law I & II X X X
Evidence I & II x x x
Legal Research x x x
Professional Responsibility x x x
Evidence I & II x X X
Lawyering x x x
Legal Skills x x x
Self-Accountability Clinic x
60
RECORDING LECTURES
134.0 - RECORDING OF LECTURES
A student may record a class only at the discretion of the Faculty Member teaching the
class and the Law School Administration’s express permission.
ATTENDANCE
135.0 – CLASS ATTENDANCE
Students must attend at least 80% of the sessions of classes in which they are enrolled.
No credit will be given for courses in which the student has been absent for more than
20% of the scheduled classes.
Thus, in a 3-unit class (3 hours: 15- weeks), regardless of reason or excuse, no more than
three absences will be allowed.
Absences are recorded, and it is the student’s responsibility to sign the attendance roster.
Students are expected to attend every class in the subjects for which they are enrolled,
and to be prepared to participate when called upon.
It is an Honor Code violation for a student to sign the attendance roster and then leave a
class session early without the prior permission of the Instructor.
If, for any reason, a student has forgotten to sign the attendance roster, such student will
be required to provide credible proof that he or she attended the class, such as by a
combination of class notes, confirmation from the instructor and/or other students present
in the class.
There is generally no provision for make-up classes.
The Law School insists on punctual and regular attendance.
More detailed policies on what constitutes an “absence,” such as unpreparedness for
class, is described in the Student Policy Manual.
61
135.1 – CREDIT/CLOCK HOUR POLICY
In order to receive a J.D. degree from a California Accredited Law School, a student must
complete at least 1200 hours of study or 80 semester hours of credit over a period of at
least 90 weeks of full-time study, or 120 weeks of part-time study.
This course of study must be at least 32 months, but no longer than 84 months to
completion since the time the student first commenced the JD Program.
In addition, at least six semester units of competency training through teaching practical
skills is required.
The curriculum includes the subjects tested in the California General Bar Exam, namely,
Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Civil Procedure, Evidence,
Real Property, Remedies, Community Property, Professional Responsibility, Torts,
Business Associations, Trusts, and Wills and Succession.
The Institute operates on a semester basis and is a four-year evening program.
A student must have earned no less than 84-units of credit to graduate, where each course
credit unit equals fifteen hours of instruction.
Students may also earn limited credit units for Direct Research Study based on the quality
and depth of the research paper submitted, or for work pre-approved by the Institute as
part of clinical study under the direction and supervision of an attorney. In the latter case,
the State Bar has customarily approved a unit of credit for every 65 hours of supervised
clinical study.
CREDIT/NO CREDIT COURSES
136.0 - CREDIT/NO-CREDIT
Excepting all bar examination required courses, some courses may be examined on a
credit/no-credit grade rating.
Where a credit/no credit grading system is applied, credit will be allowed for all courses
completed with a grade of 60 or higher, and a credit with distinction rating shall apply
for those grades of 80 or higher.
Among those courses which will be examined on the basis of a credit/no credit grade are
Directed Research, Legal Writing and Analysis, Legal Research, Take-Home papers,
Clinical Courses, certain summer school projects, and other special projects.
62
REQUIRED LEGAL RESEARCH
137.0 - LEGAL RESEARCH
Prior to graduation, as part of the required curriculum, all students will take a 3-unit
course in Legal Research offered in the regular curriculum, which includes skills and
training in electronic legal research, and training in accessing hardbound materials in
State and federal law.
The Law School offers a mandatory course exclusively on Electronic Legal Research at
each campus.
REQUIRED MBE EXAM FOR FIRST-YEAR LAW STUDENTS
138.0 - MANDATORY PRACTICE MBE EXAMINATION FOR 1L STUDENTS
There will be a 3-hour mandatory MBE “Mock Baby Bar” for 1L Students following the
end of the academic year. This exam will take place in Summer before such students
enter 2L.
The purpose of this exam is to provide more feedback to students on their MBE skills.
Students who, without prior approval for good cause, fail to take this exam, will not be
advanced into 2L courses.
A Student who fails to take this examination is subject to administrative exclusion.
REQUIRED ACCESS TO ADAPTIBAR
139.0 - ADAPTIBAR
Adaptibar is a well-known commercial bar preparation course that provides actual past
Multi-State Bar Exam questions.
This is an electronic platform. It will be available for purchase via a link provided under
the Course Materials tab on the Law School’s website under a student’s specific class
year under the “Current Students” section.
Fifty percent (50%) of the passing score on the State Bar Examination is allocated to an
examinee’s performance on the MBE. It is essential that students begin learning the
strategies and techniques for superior performance on the MBE beginning in 1L classes
and all through upper division courses.
63
REQUIRED MOCK BAR EXAMS
140.0 - COMPREHENSIVE MOCK MBE EXAMINATIONS
Entering 4L students will be required to take an in-house summer law school 3-hour
comprehensive MBE examination in the subjects in which they have been instructed as
a condition for advancing into the next year.
Examination results from any mock examination will be used only for feedback purposes
and will not be computed into any part of a student’s course grade in any subject.
Any mandatory sim-GBX, that is part of the core instruction curriculum, is a graded class.
140.1 - MANDATORY SIMULATED GBX
Prior to graduation, all 4L students must have taken and passed a simulated two-day
GBX. This may also be part of a 3-unit class in the required curriculum.
The grade received in this subject will be factored into the student’s cumulative grade
point average.
A student may take a simulated exam as many times as he or she wishes, or a comparable
simulated examination from a third-party bar preparation provider that is pre-approved
by the Law School.
However, until such time as the student secures a passing grade on this simulated GBX,
he or she will not receive the J.D. Degree, nor will he or she be certified to take the
California Bar Exam.
The passing score shall be within a score range as determined by the Academic Standard
Committee.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
141.0 - GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Students enrolled at the Southern California Institute of Law will, upon graduation,
receive the Degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) only upon compliance with all of
the following conditions:
1. The Candidate Must have received an overall grade
point average of 70 or higher, completed at least 84
units of law study; and
64
2. Must pay all fees and tuition due; and
3. Must have complied with the Rules and Regulations
of the Law School including attendance, the payment
of graduation fees, and have no pending charges under
the Law School’s Honor Code; and
4. Must have complied with all required course and
examination requirements as stated in the Student
Policy Manual; and
5. Must graduate within seven years from the date of
commencement of classes.
NOTE: Students who do not meet any one, or more,
of the conditions for graduation as listed in 140.0,
may be permitted to “walk” with the approval of the
Dean and Faculty. However, the student may not
receive the J.D. Degree, and will not be certified to sit
for the California General Bar Examination, until all
conditions for graduation have been met.
NOTE: The student’s final transcript will not reflect
courses taken that are not yet paid in full.
HONORS
142.0 – HONORS
Students of the graduating class whose total cumulative grade point average is at least
80-82 will be graduated cum laude.
Students of the graduating class whose total cumulative grade point average is 83-85 or
higher will be graduated magna cum laude.
The law student with the highest GPA (grade point average) above 85, will be graduated
summa cum laude.
65
WRITING EXAMS
143.0 – EXAMINATIONS
Written essay examinations are held in all bar examination required courses, and grades
received are computed into the student’s grade point average.
At the end of the first ten (10) weeks of instruction, all first-year students will receive for
the remaining five (5) weeks of each term, an intensive one (1) unit examination analysis
and writing course.
Students who do not appear to have a reasonable grasp of the fundamentals of legal
writing will be counseled, and, where appropriate, will be advised to discontinue their
legal study.
Except where otherwise stated by the Professor teaching the course, there will be a
practice examination at the end of the first semester in all two-semester courses, and a
final written examination will be administered at the end of the second semester.
At the discretion of the instructor, mid-term exams in graded two-semester courses may
count for up to 20% of the final grade.
Any student unable to take a final examination at the scheduled time must, as soon as
possible, notify the office of the Registrar in writing of such absence, and include the
reason for the anticipated absence. If the excuse is deemed not acceptable, or if the student
fails to give adequate notice, as required by the circumstances, and does not take the
examination, a failing grade will be recorded.
If the excused student fails to take a make-up examination, or the next regularly scheduled
examination as may be decided by the Office of the Dean, a failing grade will be recorded.
A fee of $150.00 per question is charged in the event that the student is required to take
a make-up examination.
143.1 - EXAM WRITING - UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR EXAM WAS GRADED-
WRITING TIPS
LEGAL ANALYSIS & WRITING
11- POINTS TO REMEMBER - EXAM WRITING
1. Address the particular CALL of the question
66
a. Name the PARTIES and the BASIS for the lawsuit.
If there are multiple plaintiffs or defendants, take each
plaintiff and defendant individually and separately.
Do not include an analysis of more than one defendant
or plaintiff at the same time. Focus on ONE issue at a
time and analyze EACH element of the rule.
(a) Jane v. Peter: Breach of Contract; or Intentional
Infliction of Emotional Distress; or Negligence.
(State each cause of action separately and analyze one
at a time.)
(b) People v. John for 2nd degree (Common Law)
Murder; or Voluntary Manslaughter Based on Grave
& Sudden Provocation; or First-Degree Felony.
If the murder is based on a predicate felony
(Burglary), state each crime separately and analyze
one at a time.
2. State the LEGAL BACKDROP relevant to EACH
legal issue being discussed PRIOR to engaging the
data in the question. AVOID jumping in with the data
w/o the backdrop law.
3. NEVER write a statement of legal analysis without
linking the DISCRETE elements of that rule to
SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED DATA in the
question. (See the example below.)
4. NEVER REPEAT THE FACTS. A reference or
an analysis of factual data in the question that is not
preceded with words such as BECAUSE, SINCE,
HOWEVER, or THEREFORE, makes for a failing
or poor examination score.
5. NEVER WRITE ABSTRACT LAW [-0- points].
No matter how accurate a written statement of law
standing alone is, if it is without any linkage to
specific data in the question, it will receive 0 points.
Even worse, except as a way of multiplying the 0’s, is
to engage in a consecutive second or third statement
of ABSTRACT LAW.
67
6. NEVER WRITE “From the Facts”, or “It is
Clearly Shown”, or “The Facts Do Not Support”, or
Make any CONCLUSIONARY FINDINGS
WITHOUT AN ANALYSIS OF PERTINENT
DATA.
7. NEVER WRITE and engage statements of law
about matters that are evidently NOT EVEN
REMOTELY RAISED BY THE FACTS AND ARE
HENCE NOT AT ISSUE.
8. NEVER SPECULATE- Deal only with the facts
as provided in the question.
9. ALWAYS INCLUDE SUB-HEADINGS for all
major legal issues.
10. ALWAYS BREAK UP THE ANALYSES into
several paragraphs of text with each paragraph not
exceeding 8-10 lines of single-spaced typewritten
material. Leave at least 2 lines of space between
paragraphs.
11. A PASSING ANSWER MUST MEET
QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE
STANDARDS. It’s impossible to write a passing law
school answer without using at least one full-blue
book or 4-5 (minimum) typed pages of single-
spaced text. Passing essay examinations on the bar
may have anywhere from 1200-1500 words.
EXAMPLE:
While Jane was walking along an unlit alley late at
night, a stranger, Paul, snuck up to her from behind
and brandished a toy-guy that startled her, and for a
week thereafter she refused to step outside after
sunset.
Call of the question: Analyze this fact pattern under
IIED, and do not discuss defenses.
1. NAME THE PARTIES:
Jane v. Paul
68
2. CITE EACH ISSUE IN A SEPARATE AND
DISTINCT ANALYSES. (Note: For this question we
are only focusing on 1 issue: IIED.)
Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (IIED).
3. PROVIDE THE LAW:
IIED requires the Plaintiff to show that, by a
preponderance of the evidence, defendant acted (1)
intentionally or Recklessly; (2) in a manner that was
extreme and outrageous, such that the conduct
exceeded the bounds of decency tolerated in a
civilized society; and (3) the defendant’s behavior
caused the plaintiff mental distress that was extreme,
and the Plaintiff actually suffered such harm.
4. FACTUAL ANALYSIS: BREAK THIS INTO A
DISTINCT PARAGRAPH.
(Use analytical prefixes to connect the specific data in
the fact-pattern to each of the elements of the rule.)
Intentional/Reckless Behavior:
Since Paul snuck up to Jane from behind, this indicates
that his actions were intentional. Therefore, Paul acted
at least recklessly.
Extreme and Outrageous Conduct:
Frightening someone in a dark alley is extreme and
outrageous behavior. Because Paul brandished a toy-
gun in the dark, this goes well beyond the usual
bounds of decency a civilized society would accept.
Therefore, Paul acted in a manner that was so extreme
and outrageous that it constituted beyond the bounds
of decency that would be tolerated in a civilized
society.
69
Severe Emotional Distress:
Because Jane was frightened and startled, she suffered
mental distress, and was thereafter afraid to step out
after dark for a whole week, which demonstrates that
she suffered extreme emotional harm. Therefore, Jane
suffered extreme emotional harm.
Causation:
There is no other basis for Jane to have been
frightened and suffer from severe emotional distress
other than by Paul’s act towards her in the alley.
Further, it is reasonable for an individual to be
frightened to return outside after being purposely
frightened under the circumstances of being in a dark
alley walking one’s dog. Therefore, Paul is the direct
cause of Jane’s severe emotional distress.
Defenses:
Paul was not acting in self-defense, he was not acting
in any capacity to defend another, he was not
protecting his property, he did not have consent by
Jane such that he could frighten Jane, and Jane did not
consent to the act merely by being alone in a dark alley
at night to take her deaf dog out for a walk. Therefore,
Paul is the cause of Jane’s severe emotional distress.
Conclusion:
Therefore, Jane is likely to succeed on her claim of
IIED.
------end of example-----
MANDATORY PURCHASE FOR ESSAY WRITING CLASSES:
Essay Exam Writing for The California Bar Exam
By Mary Basick and Tina Schindler (2012)
Publisher: Wolters Kluwer (1-800-234-1660)
ISBN# 978-0-7355-0993-1
Practice on Past Bar Examinations:
http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Admissions/Examinations/
California-Bar-Examination/Past-
Exams#examquestions
70
ABOUT LAW SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS
144.0 - EXAM INFORMATION
Please consult the Student Policy Manual for more details on all matters pertaining to
examinations.
144.1 – EXAMINATION SCHEDULES
Class schedules that list the week of examinations are provided to all students no later
than the first week of class.
Examination dates and times are normally finalized at least the week prior to exam week.
The Registrar will send an examination schedule to all students and faculty by e-mail.
144.2 –ANONYMITY
The Law School uses an anonymous grading system.
Every semester each student receives a unique number that is used in lieu of the student’s
name on all exams.
Students will take their exams in designated classrooms.
Students will have the option to hand-write their exam answers or use secure exam-taking
(“ExamSoft”) software on their laptops.
144.3 - EXAM SOFTWARE
The regulations for use and download of ExamSoft are spelled out in the Student Policy
Manual.
Students with questions must contact either the Director of Admissions and Student
Affairs or the Registrar’s office.
144.4 - TAKE-HOME EXAMS
1. Faculty shall be able to use take-home examinations only for credit/no credit courses.
2. The deadline for the decision on whether a course will have a take-home examination
should be when the examination schedule is set.
3. Students shall be informed during the first week of the semester of the possibility of
administration of a take-home examination.
71
144.5 - IN-HOUSE EXAMINATIONS
1. All “numerically-scored” examinations that are computed as part of the student’s grade
point average are administered in-house. This is done under the supervision of the Deans.
Strict rules are followed for all examinations.
These rules will be distributed to all students by email prior to the examination period.
Ignorance of any rule or procedure will not be accepted as an excuse for violations.
2. When a student begins an examination, they must complete it.
Once a student starts an examination it is considered a “taken” exam.
If a student becomes ill during the examination, they should collect their items in the
exam room, exit the exam room as quietly as possible, and notify the exam proctor
immediately.
After a short break, and when the student is feeling better, the student will be assigned to
a private examination room to complete the exam within the time remaining on the exam
clock. If the student is unable to continue the exam, the portion completed is the answer
that will be given to the professor for grading.
A note will be made of the illness in the event the exam becomes an issue of dismissal.
3. Students may elect to write (bluebooks) or type (laptop computer) their written
examination answers.
To qualify to use personal laptop computers, examination software will be installed on
the computer, and students are required to attend a training session on the use of the
software prior to the exam period. If a student fails to attend the training and installation
sessions for the software, they MUST write their examination in bluebooks.
The law school does not provide laptop computers for examinations. It is up to the student
to have the proper equipment ready with a power plug, or the student must be prepared
to handwrite their exam with supplied exam paper.
4. No electronic devices of any type, except the computer on which the student is
answering the exam, are allowed in the examination rooms.
Examples of excluded items would include, but are not limited to, cell phones, e-readers
and tablets.
72
5. No food of any type will be allowed in any examination room. Only drinks in sealed
containers will be allowed in the examination rooms.
6. Students qualifying, by appropriate documentation for the purpose of special
examination accommodations, MUST see the Registrar or the Director of Admissions
and Student Affairs no later than one business day prior to the examination period to
schedule their exams, or they will be disqualified from asserting their accommodation
privilege(s).
144.6 - PROCEDURES FOR LATE EXAMINATIONS
It is the policy of the Law School that students present themselves for examinations at
the scheduled time.
The Dean, Vice Dean, Director of Admissions and Student Affairs, or the Registrar, may
permit a student, with sufficient proof of reasons for the absence, to take an examination
at a later date.
The following includes, but is not limited to, reasons that will be considered in granting
relief:
1. An absolute examination conflict;
2. Documented medical incapacity;
3. Religious observance;
4. Death or documented serious medical emergency of
a close family member;
5. Automobile accident, assault, robbery, or similar
traumatic experience at the time of the exam, or the
time-period immediately preceding the exam;
6. Childbirth that interferes with the exam time or the
time-period immediately preceding the exam (applies
to either parent);
7. Military commitment (written military orders
required); or
8. Extraordinary family circumstances.
73
Requests for an exam deferral must be in writing, accompanied by satisfactory
documentation of the reasons for the deferral.
The student MUST be prepared to provide complete documentation, which is subject to
verification and approval.
Documentation must be presented to the Registrar within three days of the granted
request.
If a student’s file shows that he or she has previously deferred one, or more, examinations
for reasons other than exam conflicts, another deferral will be granted only for
extraordinary circumstances.
The following includes, but is not limited to, reasons why a request to defer an exam
would generally be denied:
1. Travel
2. To attend a conference
3. Weddings
4. Moving
5. Social Plans
6. Personal
7. Employment reasons
A student who cannot take an examination on the specified date MUST notify the
Registrar immediately.
Do not directly contact the Instructor since this may jeopardize the anonymity of the
exam process.
Notice should be given as soon as the student realizes an emergency or problem, and, if
possible, such notice must be submitted prior to the day on which the examination is
given.
A student shall receive the grade of “Incomplete” for any examination(s) missed after
obtaining permission to do so.
The missed examination shall be taken within 10 calendar days of the originally
scheduled examination date and time.
In exceptional circumstances, a student may petition the Dean of Law to take an
examination at a later date, and, at which time, the student and Dean will set a time for
the examination to be taken by the student. This extended time period shall not exceed
30- days from the original date of the exam.
74
Failure to remove the “Incomplete” by the specified time will result in the grade of “F”
for the course.
All late examinations are graded on a numerical basis.
A student who misses any examination(s) without first obtaining permission shall receive
the grade of (0) “F” for that course.
The student shall have the right to petition the Dean of Law to show just cause why he or
she should be given the “Incomplete” grade rather than the “F” grade. The Dean of Law
or Vice Dean shall decide whether the reason for missing the examination was serious
enough to allow the student to receive the “Incomplete” grade rather than the “F” grade.
144.7 - EXAMINATION ANSWER REVIEW
Students are urged to have their mid-terms and final examination answers reviewed by
Deans and/or Faculty.
Prior to scheduling such meeting, the student must first review the examination answer
against the issue sheet.
Issue sheets are posted after all examinations on the Secure Student Area of the Law
School website.
Consult the definition of a “C” grade in the Student Policy Manual, and the keys points
that must be observed in writing a passing examination answer. This is a starting point
for all examination review.
EXAM GRADES – PROCEDURAL
145.0 - GRADE CHALLENGE
In general, grades represent the Faculty member’s professional judgment of a student’s
performance in a course and, as such, are final.
However, students have the right to ask a Faculty Member for an explanation of any grade
received. The student may be provided a right of appeal where there is good cause to
believe that a final grade was biased, arbitrary, or capricious. In those instances, students
must follow the Grade Appeal Process outlined in this Catalog beginning at section 145.1.
75
145.1 - GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR GRADE APPEALS PROCESS
Students are encouraged to seek advice in matters of concern about grades from Faculty
or their assigned Academic Advisor.
1. In general, grades represent the Faculty Member’s professional judgment of a student’s
performance in a course and, as such, are final. However, students have the right to ask a
Faculty Member for an explanation of any grade received, and, thereafter, may appeal a
grade when there is good cause to believe that a final grade was biased, arbitrary, or
capricious.
2. Students must follow the Grade Appeal Process. Grade appeals can be made only in
instances where procedural issues, or biased, arbitrary, or capricious grading are in
question, such as:
a. An obvious error in calculation.
b. The instructor has applied more exacting standards
to that student, as distinct from the class as a whole.
c. The grade was given on some other basis than
performance in the course.
d. The grade represents a substantial departure from
the Law School’s or the instructor’s announced
standards.
e. If the student demonstrates, by clear and convincing
evidence, that a statement of law written on the
examination answer is a correct exposition of the law
but was graded as if it were an incorrect statement.
f. If the instructor has departed from established
grading policy. In cases involving statements of law,
the student will have the burden of proving to the
committee that the claim is well founded based on
controlling case law or hornbook law. In no event may
commercial outlines alone be used to support such a
claim.
76
145.2 - GRADE APPEALS PROCESS
1. The student is advised to first attempt informal resolution of grade concerns with the
Instructor within three weeks of the official posting of the grade by the Instructor or
Registrar’s Office. Typically, this step is all that is necessary to resolve any
disagreements. This step is only to be waived if the student believes she or he cannot
meet with the Instructor.
2. In the event informal resolution is not satisfactory to the student, the student has the
burden of proof to show that the grade was based on factors listed herein in section 145.2.
The student must submit a written request for a grade appeal to the Office of the Registrar,
or other appropriate Campus Administrator, within three weeks of the official posting of
the grades by the Registrar’s Office.
The student must include evidence pertinent to the General Principles in support of the
grade appeal request.
The petition for a grade challenge will be denied as a matter of routine if it does not
substantively address either one of the two bases stated above.
3. Within two weeks, the Office of the Dean will submit the petition for a grade challenge
to an ad hoc Faculty Committee or the Grades Review Committee, and will include the
Instructor whose grade is being challenged, unless the student so objects for good cause
to the Instructor sitting on the ad hoc panel.
The decision of the ad hoc or Grades Review Committee, which may consist of a
committee of one or more, is final and not subject to any further appeal.
ENROLLMENT
146.0 - ENROLLMENT AGREEMENT
All students are required to sign an enrollment agreement.
The Law School encourages the student to review this Catalog, and any Law School
performance fact sheet that is filed pursuant to law and posted on the Law School’s
website.
77
TUITION INFORMATION
147.0 - STATE OR FEDERAL FINANCIAL PROGRAMS
The Law School does not currently participate in any federal or State financial aid
programs.
147.1 - TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS
A limited number of one-semester partial tuition discount grants are available to those
qualified students in financial need, or those entering students who have demonstrated
exceptional academic abilities.
147.2 - CURRENT TUITION AND FEES*
Item Description Cost
Application Fee Non-refundable $35.00
Tuition Per Semester unit. A Semester unit consists of
15 class hours, including a week of
examinations.
$395.00
Registration Per Semester $30.00
Deferred Payment Per Semester $75.00
Late Registration August 19 $20.00
Transcripts Each official copy $10.00
Books** Approximate per year $700.00
Returned Check $15.00
Graduation Cap, Gown and Diploma $150.00
Make-up Exams Per exam question $150.00
Student Bar Association Per semester $60.00
Photocopy Materials Per summer semester per subject, if needed $20.00
Westlaw Password Per semester $150.00
Distance Learning Learning Management Platform/Semester $90.00
Alumni Association
(3L&4L only)
Lifetime Membership After Graduation
Optional Payment
$100.00
Late Tuition Payment Payments received more than
10 days after due date
$10.00
* NOTE: These are current tuition rates for 2019-2020. Normally, over a given three-
year period, tuition increases are under 8% total.
78
** The Institute uses the same legal casebooks for study purposes as ones used at
outstanding law school in the country. Students are required to purchase their own books
at registration; the price varies from $600.00-$700.00 per academic year. Books can be
purchased from Discover Press at www.legalbooksdistriuting.com
147.3 - DEFERRED TUITION PAYMENT PLAN
All students are eligible to participate in the deferred payment program.
There will be a deferred payment charge.
Under the deferred payment program, “tuition only” payments will be in four equal
installments, with the first installment due at the time of registration. Each of the
remaining three payments is due on the first day of each of the three succeeding months.
In summer sessions, one-half is payable at the time of registration and the other half is
payable at the beginning of the last week of the summer session attended by the student.
Beginning students are not entitled to the deferred payment program until they have
registered for classes in the first-year courses, which commences in the Fall or Spring.
Any payment that is made after the 10th of the month in which it is due will be assessed
a $20.00 late charge.
Any student who defaults in payment under this program will not be allowed to
attend classes, take examinations, or graduate, until the entire balance is paid
immediately.
Any student who withdraws from the Law School is obligated for the full amount of
tuition subject to refund in accordance with the refund schedule.
Records, transcripts, etc., will be withheld for any student with an outstanding
obligation to the Law School.
147.4 - PAYMENT CALCULATION
Students may pay in full for tuition.
Tuition, when paid in full, is set forth below; however, the student will not be required to
pay the deferred payment plan fee.
79
Typically, under the deferred payment program, payments are calculated and paid as part
of all required tuition and related fees, per semester, based on a 16-week timeframe of
each semester of fifteen weeks.
The first payment is due at the time of registration, and no later than the start date of the
first class in each semester
The second, third, and fourth installment payments, of $1000.00 each, are due on or
before the first day of the succeeding month.
Fall Term payments are made on or before the first day in September, October,
November, and December.
Spring Term payments are made on or before the first day in January, February, March
and April.
Any additional units taken will be charged at $395.00 per unit.
Beginning students who enroll for 2-unit introductory classes in either the Spring or
Summer terms (such as Family Law) are generally not entitled to the deferred payment
program, until such time, or unless they have registered for classes in the first year
curriculum of the regular academic year, which commences in the Fall and Spring.
For Summer Sessions, one-half of the student’s total tuition is payable at the beginning
of the session and the remainder is due before the last week of the session.
147.5 - LATE FEES
At the end of a ten-day grace period, a late fee of $10.00 is added to the student’s account
for each consecutive week that the tuition payment is late. This fee may be waived for
good cause.
There is a $15.00 fee for returned checks.
147.6 - TUITION REFUNDS; CANCELLATION; WITHDRAWAL; REFUND
POLICY
Written notification of withdrawal must be received prior to the beginning of the eighth
week of classes in order that a student may discontinue from any course(s) and remain in
good standing.
Upon a showing of special circumstances, the Dean of Law may grant a late withdrawal.
80
The tuition refund policies shall apply to all withdrawals or dismissals.
The student has a right to a full refund of all charges less the amount of registration fee
($40.00) and the application fee ($35.00) if he or she cancels prior to or on the first day
of instruction.
The student has the right to cancel the enrollment agreement and obtain a refund of
charges paid through attendance at the first class-session, or the seventh day after
enrollment, whichever is later.
Cancellation of enrollment in any program or course will occur when the student gives
written notice of cancellation to the Law School at the Ventura location specified in this
Catalog.
The Law School will refund any consideration paid by the student to the Law School,
except for the non-refundable application fee, for any program or course prior to the start
of such program or course within ten business days after it receives notice of cancellation.
If a student obtains any private loan to pay for an educational program, the student will
have to repay the full amount of the loan plus interest, less the amount of any refund.
The maximum non-refundable registration fee allowed is $40.00.
Refunds are available only upon written notice of discontinuance. Such notice is effective
only when delivered or postmarked. The Law School will disclose all fees and fees-
related policies and procedures that are required by law.
All students are required to sign an enrollment agreement that reflects the student’s right
to cancel and the refund policy stated herein.
Receipt of this Catalog is notice of disclosure of current tuition and related fees for course
instruction.
147.7 – DELINQUENT PAYMENTS
Following the end of each semester, students who have delinquent account balances may
receive a series of itemized statements requesting payment and inviting corrections for
any errors made in the statement.
Failure to receive a Statement of Account does not relieve any student of the
responsibility for payment.
81
Although in the 33-year history of the Law School it is has not sought the services of a
collection agency, it nonetheless reserves the right to collect on delinquent accounts if
payments or arrangements for payment are not made on a timely basis.
If it becomes necessary for an outside agency to effect collection on a student’s debt,
reasonable collection costs of at least 30% of the delinquent amount shall be added to the
amount due.
If the Law School obtains a judgment from a court of competent jurisdiction, the debtor
shall be liable for the collection agency fee as well as reasonable associated costs and
attorney’s fees that the Law School incurs during the collection of the debt, including
court fees.
TRANSCRIPTS
148.0 - TRANSCRIPTS; RECORDS
The Law School will maintain an academic transcript and records for all students enrolled
at the school.
A sample copy of an academic transcript is found in the Student Policy Manual.
No transcripts will be issued to any student who is in arrears of tuition; however, all
records other than transcripts are available upon request.
LAW STUDENT COMPETENCY
149.0 - COMPETENCY IN LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ACADEMIC;
PRACTICAL; PROFESSIONAL
The institutional wide competence for each degree program requires, at a minimum:
I. Students acquire a knowledge of the core legal doctrines and have a conceptual
understanding of the fundamental principles of American laws and the United States
Constitution.
II. Students acquire the essential practical skills needed to handle law related matters
effectively, professionally, and within the legal rules governing the practice of law.
III. Students will demonstrate understanding of the legal profession’s standards relating
to diversity, ethics, and professionalism.
82
THE HONOR CODE
150.0 - HONOR CODE
Law students are expected to observe the basic rules for student conduct at the Law
School.
Each student has a duty to act honorably in all relations with the campus community.
It is the duty of each student to assist in the maintenance of the highest standard of honesty
in legal education.
All members of the campus share a concurrent obligation to maintain an on-campus
atmosphere conducive to scholarly pursuits, to preserve the dignity and seriousness of
law school ceremonies and public exercises, and to respect the rights of all individuals.
Various State and Federal laws forbid sexual harassment on campus. An information
sheet on the subject developed by the Department of Fair Employment and Housing
(DFEH-185) lists the procedures used for investigating complaints. The Law School
adopts these procedures.
The Law School, as required by the law governing all educational institutions, will report
to relevant law enforcement authorities any information relative to sexual assaults or any
other serious crime(s), or threats of crime(s), that occur on either campus.
Where this information is found to have a credible basis in fact, serious disciplinary
action, including possible dismissal, will follow.
Students are required to consult the Student Policy Manual for a more detailed statement
of our Honor Code.
150.1 – COPYRIGHT POLICY FOR COURSE MATERIALS
Photography and Other Recording
The Law School may, in its discretion, use photography, videography, or other recording
of students in the classroom, on campus or at School activities for educational or
promotional purposes.
83
Reproduction of Copyrighted Materials
Resources provided to students by the School must be used in conformity with copyright
law. The Law School does not condone photocopying instead of purchasing copyrighted
works where such photocopying would constitute an infringement under the copyright
law (17 U.S.C. §107). Any copying done using Law School resources without prior
permission from the copyright owner, must comply with the fair-use doctrine of the
current copyright law (17 U.S.C. §107).
Please refer to the following link for understanding what may be considered fair use
https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ21.pdf
Under Legislative Guidelines (See pp.5-8 of the above link) the following may be allowed
1. A chapter from a 10-chapter book
2. An article from a periodical or newspaper
3. A short story, short essay or short poem, whether or not from a collective work
4. A chart, graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon or picture from a book, periodical, or
newspaper.
A decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit would appear to provide
for broader non-commercial teaching use under the fair use doctrine by academic
institutions. See, Cambridge University Press v. Patton
http://media.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/files/201214676.pdf
DRUGS, ALCOHOL, AND SMOKING POLICIES
151.0 - ALCOHOL AND DRUG POLICY
A. Alcohol
1. No alcoholic beverages of any type may be on the law school campus (building,
offices, breakrooms, classrooms, corridors, restrooms, law school parking lots) at any
time.
2. Any person observing abuse of alcohol by students, faculty, or staff, during law school
activities, whether on or off law school campuses, is advised to report the occurrence to
any Dean.
B. Drugs
1. The use of illegal drugs, or the misuse of prescription drugs, on campus is strictly
prohibited.
84
2. “Illegal drugs” shall be defined as, and regulated under, the provisions of State and/or
federal laws.
3. “Use” of an illegal drug shall include use, possession, manufacture, sale, or
distribution, on campus premises.
4. Any person violating this policy will be subject to administrative disciplinary action
and may result in expulsion from the Law School.
5. Any person observing, or having knowledge, of the use of illegal drugs on campus is
advised to report the incident to any Dean.
151.1 - NO SMOKING POLICY
Smoking is prohibited in all areas of the building including outside corridors, near the
mailboxes, and the areas of any underground parking lot or parking areas, within 100 feet
of the school building.
GRIEVANCE
152.0 – PROCEDURE FOR FORMAL STUDENT ACCREDITATION
STANDARD COMPLAINTS
1. “Student Accreditation Standard Complaint” defined: A “Student Accreditation
Standard Complaint” is a written communication from a law student that seeks to bring
to the attention of the Law School administration a significant problem that directly
implicates the Law School’s program of legal education, and its compliance with the
standards under which the Law School is accredited.
2. Submission of Complaint. Student Accreditation Standard Complaints shall be made
to the Dean. The complaint shall be in writing and include the name and contact
information of the complainant. The complaint shall specify, with particularity, the facts
relied upon to support the allegation, and shall identify the relevant accreditation standard
as to which it is alleged the Law School is not in compliance.
3. Action on the Complaint. The Dean shall have thirty calendar days following receipt
of the complaint to respond in writing to the complainant. Such response may be in the
form of:
a. Notice from the Dean to the complainant that an investigation of the allegations of the
complaint has been initiated, together with a date by which it is expected a final
substantive response will be made;
85
b. A preliminary substantive response to the allegations of the complaint, together with a
date by which it is expected a final substantive response to the allegations of the
complaint.
c. Appeal. Upon receiving a final substantive response to a Student Accreditation
Standard Complaint, the complainant may appeal pursuant to the Law School’s grievance
procedures.
152.1 - STUDENT GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE - NON-ACADEMIC MATTERS
The Law School’s Due Process Policy and Procedure is designed to guide students,
faculty, and staff, on the course of action that may be taken when a law student fails to
maintain ethical or professional standards of behavior.
The role of the lawyer encompasses more than just satisfactory acquisition of knowledge
in courses. The legal professional must exhibit personal and professional behaviors,
including honesty, integrity, and respect for others.
The Law School is committed to both ethical and professional behavior on the part of
students, and a respectful learning environment in which to become a lawyer.
NOTE: All conduct related to academic misconduct will be governed by the Student
Honor Code. Disciplinary matters, outside of issues dealing with the Student Honor
Code, will be conducted according to the procedures outlined herein.
DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS AND PROCEDURES
153.0 - MATTERS SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINARY ACTION
I. SPECIFIC CONDUCT
Appropriate disciplinary procedures and sanctions may be applied to any student who
commits, or attempts to commit, or aids any of the following acts of misconduct:
1. Unlawful conduct.
2. Actions that have great potential for physically harming the person or property of
others, including that of the Law School, or which result in physical harm, or cause
reasonable apprehension of physical harm.
3. Acts involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation, including, but not
limited to, making false statements or omissions on Law School applications, and failing
to report arrests or convictions that occur during law school.
86
4. Willful misconduct in any form of Law School employment.
5. Conduct that evidences current mental or emotional instability, or drug or alcohol
dependence, or abuse that may impair the ability to successfully complete law school.
6. Violation of professional standards while a clinical law student.
7. Willfully refusing, or failing to leave the property, or any building or other facility
owned, operated, or controlled by the Law School when requested to do so by a lawful
custodian of the building, facility, or property.
8. If the person is committing, threatens to commit, or incites others to commit any act
which would disrupt, impair, interfere with, or obstruct the lawful mission, processes,
procedures or functions of the Law School.
9. Violation of published or posted Law School regulations or policies that are not
covered by the Student Honor Code including, but not limited to, regulations prohibiting
discriminatory activity.
10. Action(s) or conduct that hinders, obstructs, or otherwise interferes with the
implementation, or enforcement, of this disciplinary procedure, or its sanctions, including
failure to appear before any of the Law School’s disciplinary authorities and to testify as
a witness when reasonably notified to do so by an appropriate Law School official.
11. Any other acts or omissions which adversely affect Law School functions or Law
School-sponsored activities, interfere with the rights of others to the pursuit of their
education, or otherwise adversely affect the processes of the Law School.
II. SANCTIONS
1. “Written warning” is a written reprimand that is placed in the student’s file.
2. “Disciplinary probation” means the establishment of a time period during which
further acts of misconduct may, or will, result in more severe disciplinary sanctions
depending on the conditions of the probation.
Conditions of probation may include community service, attendance at workshops and/or
seminars, including, but not limited to, alcohol, drug or safety workshops and/or
seminars, mandatory mental health evaluation and/or counseling, or other educational
sanctions.
87
3. “Suspension” means losing student status for the time-period specified in the terms of
the suspension. A suspension may commence immediately upon a finding of a violation,
or it may be deferred to a later time.
4. “Expulsion” means losing student status for an indefinite time-period. Readmission
may not be sought before the expiration of at least one year from the date of expulsion,
and it is not guaranteed even after that time.
5. “Dismissal” means termination of student employment, either for a stated time-period
or indefinitely.
The sanction imposed shall be set based upon numerous factors, including the severity of
the offense, the amount of harm created, the student’s record, and sanctions imposed in
recent years for similar offenses.
In considering the harm created, there shall be taken into account whether any harm or
injury was targeted against a person or group because of that person or group’s race,
color, religion, national origin, physical or mental handicap, age, sex, sexual preference,
ancestry, or medical condition.
If it is found that the harm or injury was targeted because of any of these factors, the
disciplinary consequences may be more severe.
A verbal reprimand or warning is not considered an “adverse action.”
III. PROCEDURES
A. Emergency Procedures
The Vice Dean or Director of Admissions and Student Affairs may immediately suspend
a student on an emergency basis if, based on information received about the student’s
conduct, the Vice Dean or Director of Admissions and Student Affairs finds that the
student’s behavior may endanger him or herself or others, or threatens disruption of the
learning environment.
Generally, an emergency suspension may be imposed only in response to an acute
incident or pattern of student conduct that raises a significant question as to the student’s
ability to function safely and effectively in the classroom and/or clinical settings.
88
A student who has been placed on emergency suspension may request a meeting with the
Vice Dean or Director of Admissions and Student Affairs (“official”) who issued the
suspension. The official shall then hold the meeting no later than three (3) working days
after the student’s request. At this meeting, the student will have the opportunity to
explain his or her position, and request that the suspension be lifted or modified. The
student may offer evidence for the official’s consideration.
If, after meeting with the student, the official finds that the student’s continued presence
at the Law School may endanger him or herself, or others, or threatens disruption of the
learning environment, the official will continue the suspension. Otherwise, the
suspension must be lifted or appropriately modified, as determined by the official.
The official will inform the student of his or her decision within three working days after
this meeting.
If the emergency suspension is continued, the matter shall be referred to a Disciplinary
Committee for a formal investigation as described in Section B below.
All references to the Vice Dean or Director of Admissions and Student Affairs in this
procedure shall also include that person’s designee(s).
If the Vice Dean or Director of Admissions and Student Affairs lifts or modifies the
emergency suspension, the student, as appropriate, will be permitted to immediately
return to the Law School curriculum.
The matter may be referred for further investigation (informal or formal) as described in
Section B.
B. General Procedures
Any student, staff, or faculty member who is concerned that a student’s behavior may
constitute a violation of the matters subject to disciplinary action listed in Part I above,
may bring that concern to the attention of the Vice Dean, or Director of Admissions and
Student Affairs.
If any one of them believes that an investigation is warranted, the student (“respondent”)
will be informed of the allegations within forty-eight (48) hours, or as soon as possible if
good reason requires a longer period of time, and explain that the matter may be handled
in either of two ways.
The respondent will be given the choice of which of the following alternative procedures
will be utilized.
89
If the respondent fails to make a choice, the Vice Dean or Director of Admissions and
Student Affairs will decide which of the following alternatives will be utilized.
(i) Alternative One (Informal Investigation).
The Vice Dean or Director of Admissions and Student Affairs will conduct an informal
investigation, including interviewing individuals with relevant information if the one
conducting the investigation concludes that such inquiries would be helpful.
The respondent will be given an opportunity to be heard and to respond to the allegations.
The conducting official will then decide what, if any, adverse action should be
recommended to the Dean as appropriate.
The Dean shall make the final determination, and the respondent shall be informed of
that action in writing.
(ii) Alternative Two (Formal Investigation).
The matter will be investigated and decided by the Disciplinary Committee
(“Committee”).
The Dean of Law will designate three faculty members who will be available to serve on
the Committee.
The Committee will consist of two (2) faculty members and one (1) student (selected by
the SBA Executive Board).
If the respondent objects that any one or more selected member(s) may be biased against
the respondent, or otherwise may not be a fair Committee member, the Dean or Vice
Dean will review the respondent’s objections and decide whether to remove the member.
The Dean or Vice Dean’s decision is final.
If a Committee member is removed for cause, the Dean will appoint a new member.
The respondent will have the right to exercise one peremptory strike against any of the
faculty members.
The Dean will fill a vacancy created by the use of a peremptory strike with another faculty
member.
90
153.1 - HEARINGS-PROCEDURE
The Committee will select one of its Faculty Members to serve as Chair.
The following rules shall apply to formal hearings conducted by the Committee:
1. The Committee will conduct the hearing and its deliberations in private.
2. The respondent is entitled to be present for the hearing.
3. The respondent is responsible for presenting his or her case. Advisors, including
attorneys, may be present, but are not permitted to present arguments or evidence or
otherwise participate directly in the hearing.
4. Members of the Committee may question the respondent, or any witness(es).
5. The respondent has the right, within reasonable time-limits as set by the Chair of the
Committee, to question the witness(es) who will testify. The Chair may also permit the
party alleging misconduct to question the respondent within reasonable time-limits.
6. The respondent may submit any evidence that he or she wants to have considered at
least three (3) business-days before the hearing.
7. The Committee may proceed independently to secure evidence for the hearing. The
respondent shall have an opportunity to review any such evidence at least three (3)
business days before the hearing, with the opportunity to request up to 7 days to review
such evidence.
8. The hearing will be recorded, and the Committee Chair will keep the recording. The
recording is the property of the Law School. No typed record will be made.
9. The proceeding is not subject to the rules of evidence. Based on its investigation and
review, the Committee will decide whether to impose sanctions by a simple majority vote
of its members.
The Committee may impose any of the sanctions that are described in Part II above.
The Committee has the right, on a case-by-case basis, to design other adverse action as it
deems necessary that is peculiar to the context of the charge.
91
The Committee has five (5) working days from when it determines that it has concluded
receiving evidence to issue its decision, and within that five-day timeframe, the
Committee shall take one of two actions. If no adverse action is taken, the Committee
will notify, or make reasonable efforts to notify, the respondent of its decision.
If the Committee votes to impose an adverse action, the Chair of the Committee will send
a certified letter to the respondent setting out the Committee’s conclusions and the
adverse action it has taken.
As discussed below, the respondent may appeal the Committee’s decision to take an
adverse action.
Pending final resolution of an appeal, the Committee’s decision may take effect in the
interim if the Committee so decides. In deciding whether its decision will take effect
immediately, the Committee will consider the seriousness of the respondent’s violation,
the nature of the adverse action, and whether the respondent poses any danger to himself
or herself or others.
153.2 - APPEALS-PROCEDURE
The respondent may appeal the decision of the Vice Dean or Director of Admissions and
Student Affairs to the Dean of the Law School.
The request for an appeal must be made in writing to the Dean of Law stating the
reason(s) why the respondent disagrees with the decision, and must be received by the
Dean within fourteen (14) calendar days after the respondent receives notification of the
decision.
The Dean will then review the decision and may meet with the respondent.
If the respondent fails to notify the Dean of Law in writing of his or her appeal within
fourteen (14) calendar days, this shall be considered a waiver of his or her right to an
appeal, and the decision shall become final.
The Dean’s decision after an appeal is final for the Law School.
The Dean’s decision is subject to discretionary review by the Executive Committee of
the Law School’s Board of Trustees. This Executive Committee consists of the Chair of
the Board and the Vice-Chairs for Academics and Administration.
92
The Executive Committee will normally accept review only in extraordinary cases, such
as where proper procedures have apparently not been followed, where the decision
appears to be clearly unsupported by the facts, or where the decision appears to violate
any Law School policy.
153.3 - MINOR PROCEDURAL DEVIATIONS
Minor deviations from these procedures are permitted so long as they do not adversely
impact the due process rights of the respondent.
For good cause, the time limits for Committee decisions to be made may be extended.
Good cause includes the fact that a deadline falls during school holidays, vacations or
summer session, if parties or decisionmakers are absent from the Law School. Any such
time extension will be communicated in writing to all interested parties and the decision
will be made thereafter as expeditiously as possible.
153.4 - RE-ADMISSION FOLLOWING ACADEMIC EXCLUSION
Absent exceptional circumstances, such as a sudden death in the immediate family of a
student, at or about the time of a graded examination, that contributed to a low grade
resulting in academic exclusion, a student previously disqualified for low scholarship at
the Law School , or in a prior law school program, may be readmitted when two or more
years have elapsed since the disqualification, and the nature of the student’s work
activities or studies during the interim indicates a stronger potential for the study of law.
Please consult the Student Policy Manual for more details.
93
FACULTY
154.0 FACULTY PROFILES
STANISLAUS PULLE- Dean (2019-2020)
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW-Santa Barbara & Ventura
Dr. Pullé was class valedictorian in law school. He received his Ph.D. from the Faculty of Laws at King’s College, University of London, where his Ph.D. thesis was recommended with a written citation for publication “as submitted.” This is the highest doctoral level of commendation by the University of London. He was Research Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies of the University of London. While in London, on behalf of the Runnymede Trust of England he chaired an investigation into allegations of police misconduct by New Scotland Yard. The nation’s major newspapers such as the London Times, Guardian, and Telegraph covered the publication of the report. He has written for law reviews.
Dr. Pullé was one of three annually appointed Post-Doctoral Visiting Scholars of the Yale Law School where he studied Constitutional Law. He taught for a year at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. He was a former Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs at the Ventura and Santa Barbara Colleges of Law. Currently, he is Dean of SCIL, and is a founding member of the Institute. His book Constitutional Law-A Casebook Approach Volumes I and II is used as a learning supplement to the casebook in constitutional law.
94
ERIC POMMER- Vice Dean, Ventura (2019-2020)
BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS -Santa Barbara and Ventura
WILLS & TRUSTS; CRITICAL THINKING; LITIGATION SKILLS- Ventura & Santa Barbara
Professor Pommer obtained his B.A. in English from Pomona College and went on to earn his Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) with honors from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego - formerly Western State University School of Law. While in law school he was the recipient of American Jurisprudence Awards in several subjects. He has written for the Public Contract Law Journal and was the Comments Editor of the first issue of the Criminal Justice Journal.
Prof. Pommer obtained a M.S. degree from USC in Systems Management. He was Vice President and General Counsel for Technoconcepts and worked for Martin Marietta and Abex Aerospace in corporate contracts management. He has been recognized as an expert in Corporations Law by the Superior Court in Ventura County. He is a member of the California State Bar and has been admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
95
KEVIN MAUSETH – Director of Admissions & Student Affairs (2019-2020)
REAL PROPERTY AND REMEDIES - Ventura & Santa Barbara
LEGAL ANALYSIS & WRITING - Ventura & Santa Barbara
Prof. Mauseth received his undergraduate Bachelor’s Degree from UCSB in 2005. He graduated cum laude in July 2013 from the Southern California Institute of Law, as Valedictorian, and passed the CA GBX that same year. He is admitted to practice in California and before the Ninth Circuit. He is an associate of the law firm of Bright & Powell in Carpinteria.
He edited the Westlaw “California Civil Jury Instruction Companion Handbook” 2012-2013, ed. by Justice Elizabeth A. Baron (ret.) He was Editor of the school newspaper: The Advocate. He has a variety of trial practice skills in personal injury and real property law.
PHILIP J BAGLEY (2017-2018)
LEGAL RESEARCH-Ventura
Professor Bagley obtained his B.S. Degree at Utah State University in 2003, and graduated with Honors making Dean List at the Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles. He is a member of the California and Utah State Bar. He was a Judicial Law Clerk for the Seventh Judicial District I Utah. He is currently the only civil and criminal Legal Research Attorney for the Superior Court in Ventura.
96
CARL D. BARNES (2018-2019)
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE-Santa Barbara
Professor Barnes earned his J.D. degree with honors from George Washington School of Law. He received both his B.A., and M.A. in Philosophy from the University of California in Santa Barbara. Prof. Barnes taught at American University, School of Public Affairs, and was a member of the adjunct faculty at Santa Barbara City College where he instructed in the Department of Philosophy. He is a member of the California Bar and is currently a Deputy District Attorney in Santa Barbara County.
CHERIE L. BRENNER (2019-2020)
CONTRACTS- Santa Barbara
Prof. Brenner obtained her Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) from Western State University School of Law. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) in Communication Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. Prof. Brenner completed a Master’s Program in Marriage and Family Psychology. Prof. Brenner completed a Trial Advocacy and Negotiations Program at Harvard Law School. She served with the Public Defender’s Office in San Diego as a senior deputy handling serious felonies, including capital death cases. She currently practices in Solvang and is a member of the California Bar.
97
DAVID CHEN (2018- 2019)
LAWYERING and CRIMINAL TRIAL PRACTICE -Santa Barbara
Professor Chen earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology and Law and Society from the University of California, Irvine.
In the Spring of 2011, he completed a J.D., and Master’s in Business Administration Degree (M.B.A.), at Loyola University, School of Law in Los Angeles. That same year he was admitted to the California Bar. He is currently a deputy District Attorney in the District Attorney’s Office in Santa Barbara.
BRYAN J. CLIFTON (2017-2019)
CONTRACTS-Santa Barbara
Prof. Clifton received his Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) in Philosophy from the University of California at Santa Barbara.
He graduated Dean’s List from the University of San Francisco Law School. He was the law school’s Literary Editor of the Maritime Journal. He participated in Advanced Moot Court and was a member of the national Appellate Advocacy Competition Team. He also served as the president of the campus’ Federalist Society. Prof. Clifton is a member of the California State Bar and has been admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.
ERIK M O’DOWD (2018-2019)
LEGAL RESEARCH-Santa Barbara
Mr. O’Dowd received his Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Political Science from Stanford University. He received his LL.B. with the Highest Distinction from Georgetown University Law Center and was Editor-in-Chief of the Georgetown Law Journal.
98
He went on to secure an LL.M. in International Law and Relations from the Harvard Law School. He was General Counsel of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Arizona and was on the faculty of the University of Arizona College of Law instructing in Legal Research and Writing. He is a member of the Arizona State Bar, and has been admitted to the Ninth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. He is currently on leave.
STEPHEN FAY (2018-2019)
TORTS-Santa Barbara
Professor Fay received his Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) from Northrop University School of Law. He is Deputy Law Librarian of the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Law Library. Professor Fay has been instructing Torts at the Santa Barbara campus for over ten years and has received a number of commendations from the Student Bar Association for his outstanding instruction in Torts. He is a member of the California State Bar.
LAUREL A. FIELDEN (2019-2020)
Prof. Fielden received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Oregon State University. She completed her J.D. at the Ventura campus of the Southern California Institute of Law, and passed the California Bar Exam. Prof. Fielden is the President of the Alumni Association. She is the Director of Distance Learning. Prof. Fielden instructs the Self-Accountability Clinic.
BEATRIZ PIMENTAL FLORES (2019-2020)
COMMUNITY PROPERTY-Santa Barbara
Prof. Flores obtained her J.D. from Quinnipiac University Southwestern Law School, Hamden, Connecticut. Her Bachelor of Arts degree was from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has been in practice for twenty-five years in the field of community property. She is a member of the California Bar.
99
GREGG S. GARRISON (2015-2016)
REMEDIES & ENVIRONMENTAL LAW-
Santa Barbara & Ventura
Professor Garrison received his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) majoring in English with honors from Texas State University in San Marcos. He went on to complete his Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in English from Texas State University. Professor Garrison received his Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He completed a Trial Advocacy Program at Stanford University and a Certificate Program at Pepperdine University School of Law in Mediation. He is a certified Environmental Consultant and is a member of the California, Texas, D.C., and New York State Bars and has been admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court.
ROBERT GOODMAN (2015-2016)
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE-Santa Barbara
Professor Robert Goodman received his Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) from Stanford University where he was Phi Beta Kappa. He earned his Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) from George Washington University National Law Center in St. Louis. Prof. Goodman practices in the field of criminal and juvenile law and was a member of the Criminal Defense Defenders panel where he represents individuals who, for a variety of reasons, may not be represented by the Public Defender’s Office. Since 1979 he has been a member of the California State Bar and has been admitted to practice before the United States District Court-Central District of California.
100
VIRGINIA A. GOODRICH (2019-2020)
CONTRACTS-Ventura
Professor Goodrich obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.) with a major in Business Administration from the California State University in Northridge. Professor Goodrich earned her Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) cum laude from the Ventura campus of the Southern California Institute of Law and was class valedictorian.
Professor Goodrich has over 20 years of experience working as a contract specialist in the aerospace and defense environment that included working as a contract administration manager for BAE Systems Aircraft Controls, Inc., in Los Angeles. Currently, Prof. Goodrich is Director, Contracts and Exports L-3 Communications Corporation at Datron Advanced Technologies Division. She is a member of the California State Bar.
SANFORD HOROWITZ (2019-2020)
CRIMINAL LAW-Ventura
Professor Horowitz graduated with a B.S. Degree in Accountancy from Cal. State University, Long Beach. He received his J.D. Degree from the University of San Diego School of Law, and thereafter went on to obtain an LL.M. in Taxation from the San Diego School of Law. He was an adjunct Professor of Law in the Master of Taxation Program at the University of San Diego School of Law. Professor Sanford served for five years as a Deputy District Attorney with the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office.
101
CATINA IRVIN (2019-2020)
CIVIL PROCEDURE-Ventura
Professor Irvin currently works at Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, as a contract attorney. Professor Irvin obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) in Communications (cum laude) from Howard University in Washington, D.C.
GURPREET KAUR (2015-2016)
REAL PROPERTY-Ventura
Prof. Kaur having received a Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) from the University of California Riverside. Ms. Kaur graduated with a J.D. Degree from SCIL and passed the bar examination prior to her graduation. She has worked in the Neighborhood Legal Offices volunteering legal services. Currently she practices in landlord-tenant, real estate law, and immigration.
KENNETH W. KOSSOFF (2015-2016)
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION- Ventura
Professor Kossoff received his B.A. Phi Beta Kappa, high honors with distinction from the University of California, Berkeley and earned his J.D. with honors from Duke University School of Law. He was on the board of the Duke Law Journal. He was admitted to the practice of law in California the same year he graduated in 1983. He is a court appointed mediator.
102
ERIC B. KUNKEL (2019-2020)
TORTS-Ventura
Mr. Kunkel received his Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.) in Business from Indiana University, and went on to complete his Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) at Ohio Northern University. At law school, Mr. Kunkel was a member of the Law Review, and Student Articles Research Editor. He has published in the McGeorge Law Review and the Ohio Northern University Law Review. He is a member of the California State Bar, and is currently in private practice, focusing on insurance litigation and civil appeals and writs.
PRESTON MARX III (2017-2019)
ELECTRONIC LEGAL RESEAERCH & CONTRACTS-Santa Barbara
Prof. Marx graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) in Political Science from Tulane University, and was Phi Beta Kappa.
He received his Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. At law school Prof. Marx received the American Jurisprudence Award in a number of subjects. He operated a national legal research service for lawyers. He has been instructing Contracts at SCIL for nearly 20 years, receiving several awards for his teaching. Additionally, he instructs in Electronic Legal Research. He is a member of the Louisiana and California State Bars.
103
GREGORY L. McMURRAY (2019-2020)
CRIMINAL LAW-Santa Barbara
Having graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) from the University of California, Los Angeles, Professor McMurray earned his Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) at William and Mary School of Law in Williamsburg, Virginia. This law school was founded by Thomas Jefferson and is considered the nation’s oldest law school. Prof. McMurray served as a Deputy Public Defender both in Kern County and in Ventura County where he handled over 150 felony cases. He has acted as Judge Pro-Tem in Santa Barbara. He is a member of the California State Bar.
MYRA D. MOSSMAN (2014-215)
APPELLATE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (FEDERAL)-Santa Barbara
As part of the joint law degree program between the University of Detroit, School of Law and the University of Windsor, Canada, Professor Mossman earned a Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) from Detroit and an LL.B. degree from Windsor University, Canada.
At Carleton University, Ottawa, she completed, with honors, a Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) in Anthropology and was on the Dean’s List. She serves on the Federal Criminal Appellate Panel. Professor Mossman is a member of the Michigan Bar and is admitted to the Ninth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court.
104
MICHAEL J. NEARY (2016--2017)
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE & EVIDENCE- Ventura
Professor Neary received his Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.) in Electrical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy, and his Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) from Loyola University School of Law in Los Angeles.
Prior to his law degree, he earned a Master of Science Degree (M.S.) from CalTech. He worked for over 20 years as a Public Defender in Ventura County, and is currently in the private practice of Criminal Law. He is a member of the California State Bar.
NATALIE A. PANOSSIAN (2014-2015)
LAWYERING SKILLS-Ventura
Professor Panossian received her Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) with honors from the University of California, Los Angeles, and obtained her Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) from Whittier Law School. She went on to complete her M.B.A. Degree from the Pepperdine University School of Business & Management. Professor Panossian is currently corporate counsel for Ricoh Printing Systems American, Inc. She has served as Judge Pro Tem, and is President of Gold Coast Chapter of the Federalist Society.
She is a Business Law Fellow of the American Bar Association and was included by the Pacific Coast Times in the “Top 50 Women in Law.” Prof. Panossian is a member of the California State Bar.
105
RYAN PEABODY (2016-2017)
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE-Santa Barbara
Professor Peabody obtained his Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) from the University of Oregon, Eugene, where he completed a Criminal Practice Program. He has served as Deputy Public Defender in the counties of San Diego, Lassen, and currently works as a Public Defender in Santa Barbara. He has successfully handled appeals involving the Fourth Amendment. He is a member of the California Bar.
KRISTI JO PEARISO (2016-2017)
CRIMINAL LAW-Ventura
Professor Peariso graduated with a Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) with Deans List Honors at the age of twenty-three from California Western School of Law, San Diego.
In law school, she received the highest grade of her class in Criminal Law. Her undergraduate Bachelor of Art’s Degree (B.A.) was in Law & Society from the University of California, Santa Barbara. For two years, Ms. Peariso worked in the Public Defender’s Office in Santa Barbara and Mendocino County, and from 2000-2007 she was at the Ventura County Public Defender’s Office, spending her last year in felony trial assignments. She is currently in the private practice of Criminal Law. Prof. Peariso is a member of the California State Bar.
106
BARTON POKRAS (2014-2015)
COMMUNITY PROPERTY- Ventura
Barton Pokras received his Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) with honors from the University of California, Hastings College of Law. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) in English Literature from the University of California in Santa Cruz. He received a LL.M Degree in Taxation from Golden Gate University. He is a member of the California State Bar. While at Hastings, Mr. Pokras received his highest grade in Community Property. Mr. Pokras is the current President of the Coalition for Collaborative Divorce in Ventura County, and his practice is entirely devoted to all aspects of Family Law. He is licensed to practice law in the State of California, the United States Tax Court, and the U.S. District Court- Northern District of California.
ERIC REED (2019-2020)
REMEDIES; PERFORMANCE EXAM WRITITNG; PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY- Ventura
Prof. Reed obtained his Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) from the University of California, Hastings College of Law. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) cum laude from Claremont McKenna College. He has broad experience in construction contracts, real estate, personal injury and employment disputes. He has handled several civil and criminal appeals. He is a member of the California State Bar and the U.S. District Court for the Central and Eastern Districts in California.
107
CHRISTINE RENSHAW (2017-2019)
LAWYERING, EVIDENCE and REMEDIES-Ventura & Santa Barbara
Prof. Christine Renshaw received her Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) from Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. She went on to receive an LL.M. in Taxation from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, California. Ms. Renshaw earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) from the University of California in Los Angeles. Prof. Renshaw is experienced in State and federal litigation for ten years and has argued several cases before the Second District Appellate Court, including one that is a published opinion. Ms. Renshaw is a member of the California State Bar.
JENNIFER ROMERO (2019-2020)
CONTRACTS-Ventura and Santa Barbara
Prof. Romero received her Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) from the Southern California Institute of Law in Ventura. Her prior legal experience involved landlord-tenant litigation and legal work at the Children’s Law Center in Los Angeles. She is a member of the California State Bar.
RICHARD F. SPERLING (2016-2017)
COMMUNITY PROPERTY -Ventura
Prof. Sperling graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) in Political Science from California State University at Northridge. He earned his Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) with honors from Gonzaga University School of Law. He was a teaching assistant in Real Property and Community Property at Gonzaga and taught Business Law at Cal State, Northridge. He currently practices family law in Ventura County. Prof. Sperling is a member of the California State Bar.
108
WILLIAM K. TOMLINSON (2014-2015)
TORTS & LEGAL WRITING- Santa Barbara
Prof Tomlinson received his B.A. summa cum laude with high honors in English from Vanderbilt University. He received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1983. He was an Assistant Attorney General in Nashville, Tennessee, civil division, and prior to joining our Faculty, had been instructing in legal writing at UCSB. He practices in the field of civil appeals and writs, and civil law and motion, in State and federal courts. He is a member of the California State Bar.
ANDRE VERDUN (2019-2020)
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE & MBE -Ventura
Prof. Andre Verdun received his J.D. from Southern California Institute of Law in Ventura. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) from Ashworth College in Georgia. He successfully completed the LL.M. Degree Program in Criminal Trial Advocacy at California Western School of Law in San Diego. Prof. Verdun’s trial practice includes criminal defense and plaintiff litigation involving consumer credit loans. He is a member of the California State Bar.
HELEN C. ZAJIC (2019-2020)
CIVIL PROCEDURE & EVIDENCE- Santa Barbara PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Prof. Zajic received her Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) from Michigan State University, and her Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) from Oklahoma City University School of Law. She was a National Merit Scholar and was awarded the Sneed Foundation Scholar and Outstanding Senior Award at law school. Further, she was awarded the prestigious Kerr Foundation Scholarship Award for academic excellence while in law school. She is a member of the Oklahoma and California State Bars.
109
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
155.0 - FIRST YEAR LAW COURSES
CONTRACTS I and II (6-UNITS) LAW 500 (R) (I)/(II) This is a two-semester course that provides exposure to basic contract law. This includes problems of contract formation, problems of performance and breach, remedies for breach of contract, the effect of changed circumstances, the Statute of Frauds, the Parol Evidence Rule, the legal significance of mistake and misrepresentation, assignments and delegations, breach of contracts, defenses to contract breach, the measure of damages and remedies. The Professor will assist the students in analyzing the legal culture of contract law, and its enforcement in the context of dispute resolution techniques. TORTS I and II (6-UNITS) LAW 501 (R)(I)/(II) This is a two-semester course that analyzes bases of liability for intentional interference with person or property interests. The course will explore issues of liability based on negligence at common law and under statute, actual cause and legally responsible cause, risk, damages, contributory and comparative negligence, strict liability, nuisance, misrepresentation, defamation, invasion of privacy, unjustifiable litigation, interference with contractual relations, product liability, and remedies. Many of these problems arise in varied contexts and the implications for law and social policy will be considered.
110
CRIMINAL LAW I and II (4-UNITS) LAW 502(R) (I)/(II) This is a two-semester course that will focus on the general issues in substantive criminal law, the purposes of punishment and the death penalty, and offenses against the person, habitation, and property, and major doctrines of inchoate crimes of conspiracy, attempts, and solicitation, and the defenses which negate or limit responsibility, such as self-defense and the insanity defense. This course will stress the difficulty of converting moral judgments of blameworthiness and psychological questions about deterrence into coherent positive law. LEGAL ANALYSIS I and II (2-UNITS) LAW 503(R) (I)/(II) This course, with one unit per semester, will deal with examination problem analysis in the fields of contracts, torts, and criminal law, in which students will be introduced to the basic skills and elements of legal writing. Analytical and concise writing styles are emphasized. This course will be tested on a credit/no credit basis. LEGAL RESEARCH & WRITING (2-UNITS) LAW 705(R) Students will be required to research a problem in each term on each of the first-year subjects, and write a paper on how the issue presented for inquiry may likely be resolved. This course will be tested on a credit/no credit basis.
111
ELECTRONIC LEGAL RESEARCH (1-UNIT) LAW 605(R) Students are trained in on-line legal research using Westlaw and other on-line databases. For a modest student fee, all students are provided with a personal Westlaw password and are trained to work on specific legal problems. As a part of this 1-unit credit/no credit course, students are trained specifically in the use of databases of statutes, administrative and regulatory documents, loose-leaf services, legal periodicals, Shepard’s citations, and reported and unreported opinions of State and federal courts.
155.1 - UPPER DIVISION LAW COURSES
ADVANCED LEGAL WRITING (2-UNITS) LAW 611(R) This class uses “Essay Writing for the California Bar Exam” by Basick and Schindler, a Wolters Kluwer publication. This course breaks down, in a strategic way, how one writes for the California General Bar Exam by performing the various exercises in this book. BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS (4-UNITS) LAW 606(R)(I)/(II) This course examines the characteristics of different legal forms of enterprise organization and ownership, the relationship of agent and principal, partnerships and partner duties, corporate powers, liability, formation and operations, duties of corporate directors and officers, shareholder rights, issues of control, mergers, acquisitions, and takeovers. This course is comprised of a 15-week session (3-units) and a five-week session (1-unit).
112
CIVIL PROCEDURE (6-UNITS) LAW 601(R) (I)/(II) The theory and practice of various aspects of civil pleading in both California State and federal courts is the subject of this two-semester course. The core of this course is the study of the process of civil litigation from the filing of an action through appeal under modern statutes and the rules of court, with emphasis on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Subjects discussed include the complaint, pleading, joinder of parties, jurisdiction, venue, demurrers, affirmative defenses, discovery, pretrial conference, plenary trial, judgment, post-trial motions, and appeals. COMMUNITY PROPERTY (3-UNITS) LAW 603(R) As a one-semester course, students receive an overview of California Community Property law. This includes review of the marital property for debt before, during, and after marriage, the management and control of marital and separate property, liability arising from the occurrence of torts of the spouse(s) and the debts that follow, problems arising from dissolution of the community, and the rights of the putative spouse(s), meretricious relationships, and domestic partners. CONSTITUTIONAL LAW (6-UNITS) LAW 701(R)(I)/(II) A study of the American Constitutional system is a two-semester course, which surveys the role of the judiciary in the federal government, including jurisdiction of courts, cases and controversies, and standing of parties. The study involves the distribution of federal power among the coordinate branches of the federal government and the division of power between the federal and State governments. Among several other complex United States Constitutional principles, this course examines the concepts of due process and equal protection as they affect the relationship between government and the people, the right of free speech, and freedom of religion and the prohibition of the establishment of religion.
113
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (4-UNITS) LAW708(R)(I)/(II) This course is split into a 15-week session (3-units) and a five-week session (1-unit) and surveys criminal trial and pretrial procedures. Among the topics included are the law of search and seizure, electronic eavesdropping, interrogation, identification, entrapment, pretrial motions and hearings, plea bargaining, jury trials, and double jeopardy. EVIDENCE (6-UNITS) LAW 702(R)(I)/(II) As a two-semester course, this course covers the full range of the law of Evidence as it relates to the admission and exclusion of evidence, and its reliance on the basis of logic and policy. Among the issues examined are problems of remoteness, character evidence, burden of proof, and presumptions, functions of judge and jury, the hearsay rule and its exceptions, lay and expert testimony, and scientific and demonstrative evidence, privilege, cross-examination and impeachment, with special emphasis on the Federal and California Rules of Evidence. GBX WRITING (2-UNITS) LAW 703(R) This is a required course that is designed to instruct students on essay exam writing for the General Bar Examination. One of the most productive ways to get essay exam ready is to write on past bar exam questions, and have your exams critiqued. This course will emphasize that you read carefully the question(s) posed for analysis; focused on your time management; reviewed the structure of your answer, beginning with an introductory explanation as to why this issue must be addressed as a preliminary matter; made certain the use of concrete data taken from the problem, which must be tied to issues that frame a specific legal principles set forth as backdrop law; provided an analysis, rather than a recitation of the data; worked through the content of your answer by arguing both sides, thus arriving at a persuasive conclusion.
114
LEGAL RESEARCH (2-UNITS) LAW 705(R) This is a credit/no-credit class. Through lectures and written research assignments this one-semester course familiarizes the student with the repositories of law, including the skill of electronic research as it relates to California and Federal law. LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING (SEVERAL 1-UNIT CLASSES) (See below-LAW 800 series) The following 1-unit classes are offered in several distinct legal skills areas, which include writing a complaint, pleadings, motions, contract drafting, law office management, and depositions. MULTIPLE-CHOICE EXAM PRO SERIES (3-UNITS) LAW 608(R1-B) This course reviews specific subject matter material in preparation for the MBE section of the Bar Exam, using specific texts for all 1L-4L classes. MULTIPLE-CHOICE STRATEGIES (2-UNITS) LAW 608(R1-A) Currently the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) consists of 200 questions covering Torts, Contracts, Criminal Law & Criminal Procedure, Constitutional Law, Real Property, and Evidence. Generally, there are 34 questions each on Torts and Contracts and 33 each of the remaining four areas. This 2-unit (10-weeks) credit/no credit course will reinforce the details of substantive law by having students sharpen the student’s analytical skills in a variety of concrete fact patterns through the use of multiple-choice technique strategy.
115
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY (2-UNITS) LAW 610(R) This 2-unit course deals with the organization and regulation of the legal profession, the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, the California Rules of Professional Responsibility, with emphasis on such issues as the unauthorized practice of law, forming the attorney-client relationship, fiduciary obligations, avoiding conflicts of interest, competent representation, fee arrangements, multiple relationships and disclosure requirements, advertising and solicitation, and judicial and courtroom ethics. REAL PROPERTY (6-UNITS) LAW 602(R)(I)/(II) The principal issues examined in this two-semester course involve possession and ownership of land, including its use and development, landlord and tenant laws, adverse possession, prescription, rights to lateral and subjacent support, types of estates in land, conveyances, including tenure and the system of uses, title protection, and eminent domain. REMEDIES (4-UNITS) LAW 707(R)(I)/(II) This course is split into a 15-week session (3-units) and a five-week course (1- unit), and it involves a study of the various forms of judicial remedies including the general principle of damages, restitution, equitable remedies for actual and threatened torts, breach of contracts, and unjust enrichment. SIMULATED GBX (2-UNITS) LAW 704(R) This is a graded 2-unit course which will concentrate on preparing students with the requisite skills to sit for a 2-day GBX.
116
WILLS & TRUSTS (3-UNITS) LAW 604(R) As a one-semester course, the principal areas of discussion will center on transfers of property at death by testamentary instrument or by intervivos trust, the principles of intestate succession, execution of wills, limitations upon testamentary power, gifts to charity, fiduciary administration, interrelating testamentary and intervivos transactions, and social restriction on perpetuities and accumulations. The above curriculum is subject to change.
155.2 - SUMMER ELECTIVES
The one-unit summer courses listed below (unless otherwise stated as being more than 1-unit) will be offered from time to time, usually rotated between years and campuses. Please check the law school website for summer school offerings. ADMINISTRATIVE LAW (2-UNITS) LAW E401 This 2-unit course explores the process by which administrative agencies formulate policy and judicial control of administrative action. The different interest groups and institutions contributing to the policy making process are examined both generally and in the context of specific examples of agency decisionmaking. BANKRUPTCY (1-UNIT) LAW E403 This course is in the nature of an introduction to the substantive law of personal federal bankruptcy, and is a 1-unit credit/no credit class which includes a survey of the key issues surrounding voluntary and involuntary liquidations, discharge of debts, exemptions, and creditor claims under the federal bankruptcy statute. Emphasis is on provisions of the Federal Bankruptcy Code.
117
CALIFORNIA ADOPTIONS LAW & PROCEDURE (1-UNIT) LAW E404 This 1-unit course examines the complex and conflicting rights of the parties and the procedures involved in completing a valid California adoption. Topics covered include adoptive parents’ methods of search for adoptable infants, birth parents’ various legal options, the extended birth family and an adoptive family’s joint and conflicting interest, voluntary and involuntary termination of parental rights, and the adopted person’s legal and moral dilemmas. Ethics for the adoption professional and the appropriate role of the attorney are explored. CIVIL RIGHTS LAW (42 U.S.C. 1983) (1-UNIT) LAW E405 The course entails an in-depth exploration of 42 U.S.C. 1983, that is currently codified based on a brief Reconstruction era statute providing for a cause of action against those who, under color of state law, deprive a person of his or her federal Constitutional and statutory rights. Discussion will center on the meaning of “under color of law,” the nature of the enforceable rights and interests, governmental liability, immunities, exhaustion of remedies, attorneys’ fees, and statute of limitations. COLLABORATIVE LAW (1-UNIT) LAW E406 This 1-unit elective course emphasizes the advantages of settling legal disputes by engaging lawyers, lay-people, and professionals in other allied disciplines, such as psychology, business, and scientists in bringing about consensus in resolving legal and quasi-legal differences.
118
CONDOMINIUM LAW (1-UNIT) LAW E407 The law governing several common interest community associations (condominium, cooperative, and property owner associations) will be explored in this 1-unit course, with special emphasis on condominiums. This course will examine the basics of assessment powers, rulemaking, architectural controls, and covenant enforcement. DIRECTED RESEARCH (x-UNITS) LAW E408 This course involves a comprehensive individual research paper written under the supervision of a Faculty Member with reasonable familiarity and expertise in the field. The Dean of Law must pre-approve the topic and unit credit. DUE PROCESS CLAUSE (1-UNIT) E408A The emphasis in this course is both Substantive and Procedural Due Process rights under the federal Constitution. Issues relating to implied rights of personal privacy, and the concept of “liberty” and “property” will be analyzed. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE LAW & PROCEDURE (1-UNIT) LAW E409 This course explores the legal frameworks involving the treatment of those who drink and drive, which includes a survey of the administrative procedures for license revocation and the applicable criminal laws, procedures and techniques in the investigation and prosecution of those who drink and drive. This course will also include an analysis of some of the more common defenses to charges of drinking and driving against a backdrop of the scientific principles of basic forensic toxicology.
119
ELECTRONIC COMMERCE LAW (1-UNIT) LAW E410 This 1-unit credit/no credit course examines current legal issues affecting commerce, the fairness doctrine, major federal statutes affecting cable television, the role of federal regulatory agencies, and issues of licensing in the electronic media that apply to cable television, satellite telecommunications, and the Internet. EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION LAW (1-UNIT) LAW E411 Federal fair employment statutes and regulations will be explored in this course, along with the development of judicial and negotiated remedies, as well as voluntary programs implemented by employers. ENTERTAINMENT LAW (1-UNIT) LAW E412 This course will survey the main federal copyright statutes, and common law and statutory protection of the major forms of creative expression. In this 1-unit credit/no-credit course, emphasis will be placed on problems peculiar to the motion picture industry, and television, music, and book publishing industries. ENVIRONMENTAL LAW (1-UNIT) LAW E413 This course will analyze some of the major themes and issues in environmental law, including nuisance theory, inter-governmental relations, economic analysis, judicial oversight, and review of administrative decision-making, hazardous waste controls, wetlands protection, and clean air regulations.
120
ESSENTIALS IN EVIDENCE (4-UNITS) LAW E414 This is a four-unit class spread over three terms with one unit in the Fall, one in the Spring, and two units in the summer. This class is open to all 2L and upper division law students, and covers the basic issues of relevancy, authentication, best evidence, competency, personal knowledge, expert testimony, order of proof, impeachment, and privileges. ESTATE PLANNING (1-UNIT) LAW E415 This course is a study of federal estate and gift tax planning, including intervivos transfers, jointly held property, powers of appointment, life insurance, valuation, estate tax deductions and credits. FEDERAL CRIMINAL APPEALS PROCESS (1-UNIT) LAW E416 This course reviews how federal criminal appeals are filed, with reference to form, method, structure, manner, and content, and provides a step by step analysis of such procedures by use of actual case filings. FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION (1-UNIT) LAW E417 This course is in the nature of a basic introduction to income taxation, deductions, and credits, tax accounting, capital gains and losses, corporate distributions and reorganizations, and federal income tax treatment of corporations, partnerships, estates, and trusts. FOURTH AMENDMENT (1-UNIT) LAW E418 The threshold requirements of what constitutes a search and seizure, the warrant clause, the specificity and “reasonableness needs” searches (drug-testing, roadblocks, and broader searches) will be explored in this 1-unit credit/no credit course. Within the Fourth Amendment, certain current issues dealing with automobile searches, electronic surveillance, governmental immunity, and similar issues will be the focus of this course.
121
FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGION AND THE ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSES (1-UNIT) LAW E419 The aim of this course is to provide students with a framework for understanding these clauses of the First Amendment, with reference to the theological foundation of law, the relationship between church and state, religious discrimination and accommodations, government neutrality in financial grants and loans involving church-state relations, and the various employer/employee relationships. FREE SPEECH IN SCHOOLS & COLLEGES (1-UNIT) LAW E420 In this 1-unit class, students are introduced to the leading U.S. Supreme Court cases involving the extent and limit of free speech on high school and college campuses. Among the landmark cases examined are the cases involving school armbands, editorial control school of newspapers, lewd speech during school assembly hall gatherings, addition to, and removal, of books from school libraries, use vulgar off-campus newspaper cartoons, the compulsory flag salute, and the display of banners condoning use of marijuana. GBX PERFORMANCE EXAM STUDY (1-UNIT) LAW (R)421 Students, after completion of 1L, 2L, and 3L courses, are shown the basic format, structure, and type of analysis needed to write a performance exam question generally using material pertinent to what the student may have already encountered in their substantive class work. This summer course is required for all students, in addition to the required course that is part of the regular curriculum.
122
HISTORY OF AMERICAN LAW (1-UNIT) LAW E422 This course is an overview of the changes in American legal rules, conceptions, and institutions from 1780 to the present, with particular attention to those laws regulating private property, contracts, corporations, labor relations, the family, and the place of lawyers in American society. IMMIGRATION LAW (1-UNIT) LAW E423 This course involves a study of immigration law and procedure, with emphasis on exclusion and deportation proceedings, judicial review, nationality, and citizenship. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (TRADEMARK AND COPYRIGHT LAW) (1-UNIT) LAW E424 This course focuses on an examination of common law and statutory copyright in connection with literary, musical, and artistic property, infringement actions and remedies, trade information, and misappropriation of intellectual property. INTERNATIONAL LAW (1-UNIT) LAW E425 This is a 2-unit elective that will deal with the relation of international law to State law, and the nature, sources and content of settlement mechanisms, international agreements, State responsibility the treatment of refugees, the use of force, and the role of international organizations. Current events that illustrate the importance of public international law will be discussed.
123
INTERNET LAW (1-UNIT) LAW E426 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course explores client-server technology, the structure of file sharing technology, and such relevant federal statutes as the Internet Decency Act and the Digital Signatures Act. Further examined are such matters as employee e-mail privacy, property rights of domains, cybercrimes, and Internet issues that are related to intellectual property. LABOR LAW (1-UNIT) LAW E427 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course will focus on the historical development of labor law, and pertinent federal statutes dealing with union organization, recognition, the duty to bargain collectively, the duty of fair representation, arbitration, and internal union democracy. LANDLORD-TENANT RELATIONS (1-UNIT) LAW E428 Specific issues relating to the creation and termination of the landlord-tenant relationship are discussed in this 1-unit credit/no-credit course. These discussions include such matters as access to the rental market, tenant’s right to possession, the warranties of continued enjoyment and habitability, the doctrine of constructive eviction, use of premises, issues of waste, injuries to persons and property on the premises, and remedies against the default tenant. LAND USE LAW (1-UNIT) LAW E429 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course explores the law of zoning and land use controls, the Takings Clause of the U.S. Constitution, eminent domain, growth moratoriums, development exactions, exclusionary zoning, the Wetlands Act, vested rights, and governmental estoppel.
124
LAW AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE (1-UNIT) LAW E430 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course reviews problems of international trade, the international capital market, and the multinational corporation will be explored. This includes examination of national and international regulatory systems designed to control and encourage international trade and economic development, and protection of foreign investors and consumers. LEGAL PHILOSOPHY (1-UNIT) LAW E431 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course will review those subjects that encompass the main trends in American legal thought over the last century, and how these schools of thought have influenced resolution of modern issues. An overarching objective of this course is to understand a framework of legal theory in which processes, structures, and functions of authority serve basic community goal values. OCEAN & COASTAL LAW (1-UNIT) LAW E432 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course will examine coastal management law and its impact on local, national, and international interests. This study of the shores and coastal oceans will explore aspects of property law, land use regulation, water law, and natural resources law. Recent developments of the law such as the National Ocean Policy Act, and the regulatory decisions of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary will be examined relating to the Law of the Ocean Clinic at SCIL. PRESIDENTIAL POWER (1-UNIT) LAW E433 The 1-unit credit/no-credit course will primarily focus on the use of executive power in relation to the use of force in national security matters, with emphasis on post-9/11 Supreme Court cases regarding enemy combatants, military trials, and the writ of habeas corpus.
125
PRODUCTS LIABILITY (1-UNIT) LAW E434 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course will cover the principles governing liability for injuries caused by products that suffer a manufacturing or design defect, and products not accompanied by an adequate warning, the defenses of contributory negligence, assumption of the risk(s), product misuse, comparative fault, and warranties. THE PRIVILEGE AGAINST SELF- INCRIMINATION (1-UNIT) LAW E435 (Fifth Amendment) This 1-unit credit/no-credit course covers the Fifth Amendment, and particularly the landmark case of Miranda v. Arizona and its progeny. An interpretation of what constitutes “custodial interrogation,” the public safety exception, the doctrine of waiver, and the testimonial limitations of the Fifth Amendment will be explored. SEPARATION OF POWERS (1-UNIT) LAW E436 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course will focus on the federal constitutional doctrine of the distribution of legislative, executive, and judicial powers. Doctrines such as standing, the political question doctrine, executive privilege, and the war-making and foreign policy powers of the executive and legislative branches of government will be explored. SIXTH AMENDMENT-CONFRONTATION CLAUSE & RIGHT TO COUNSEL (1-UNIT) LAW E436 The 1-unit credit/no-credit course examines the scope of the right to counsel, and its limits in various settings inquiring into the critical stages requiring the appointment of counsel in reference to misdemeanor and felony prosecutions.
126
SPECIAL ISSUES IN CIVIL PROCEDURE (1-UNIT) LAW E437 Res Judicata and Collateral Estoppel This 1-unit credit/no-credit course concentrates on the set of rules that govern the size of the litigation, the rules of res judicata and collateral estoppel, rules governing recognition of judgments from other jurisdictions, and those rules that permit a court to stay one proceeding because a related one is pending. SPECIAL ISSUES IN CIVIL PROCEDURE (1-UNIT) LAW E438 Class Actions This 1-unit credit/no credit course explores the historical development of the class action, prerequisites and grounds for bringing a class action, jurisdictional requirements, and procedural matters (i.e., notice). STANDING MOOTNESS & RIPENESS (1-UNIT) LAW E 439 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course reviews the Case or Controversy Clause of Art. III § 2, where legal actions in federal court cannot be brought simply on the ground that an individual or group is displeased with a government action or law—federal courts only have constitutional authority to resolve actual disputes, such as a case or controversy that entails a direct stake in an action or law, where there is "standing" to bring a challenge. Similarly, courts refrain from adjudicating matters that are moot, and a case must be “ripe” for review. STATE APPELLATE REVIEW (1-UNIT) LAW E440 The focus of this 1-unit credit/no-credit course is to examine the various writs and forms of appeal that may be taken from lower courts and administrative agencies, the legal basis for appeals in both criminal and civil cases, and the structural forms of appellate writing.
127
STATE CRIMINAL TRIAL PRACTICE (1-UNIT) LAW E441 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course is designed to inculcate those skills related to the techniques of conducting felony and misdemeanor criminal trials, from the indictment stage to judgment, explaining both prosecution and criminal defense skills. Emphasis will be on jury selection, opening and closing arguments, and both direct and cross-examination of lay witnesses and experts. UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE (1-UNIT) LAW E442 (Negotiable Instruments) This 1-unit credit/no-credit course involves a study of the Uniform Commercial Code provisions relating to negotiable instruments and bank collection procedures. UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE (1-UNIT) LAW E443 (Law of Sales) This 1-unit credit/no-credit course involves a study of the Uniform Commercial Code provisions relating to sales, and federal and State legislation on consumer sales and credit transactions. WORKER’S COMPENSATION (1-UNIT) LAW E444 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course deals with compensation of injuries arising out of, and during, the scope of the employment relationship. Questions explored will include jurisdiction of claims, statutory conditions of compensability, injury and disease in relation to employment, and insurance requirements.
128
WRONGFUL TERMINATION LAW (1-UNIT) LAW E445 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course reviews both common law and statutory bases of civil actions for wrongful termination, such as express and implied contract theories, retaliatory discharges, whistleblower protections, and constitutional constraints relative to public employee discharge.
155.3 - INTRODUCTORY CLASSES FOR BEGINNING STUDENTS; SPRING AND SUMMER COURSE OF INSTRUCTION
The following courses are credit/no-credit courses and are open to Upper Division students as well as beginning students.
ESSAY WRITING: THE USE OF FACTS (1-UNIT) LAW E 446 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course emphasizes how critical facts are first identified, explaining their relevance and how a student must assign their order of significance. Every legal issue will be presented as different spokes in a wheel. A student must know to what “spoke” a particular fact attaches, and how one expresses the analysis in writing.
129
FREE SPEECH IN A COMMERCIAL CONTEXT (1-UNIT) LAW E 448 The focus of this 1-unit credit/no-credit course is a discussion on the regulation of commercial speech, and the seminal case of Central Hudson Gas & Electric v Public Service Commission, where the Court announced a test for evaluating commercial speech regulations that has been applied in subsequent cases. The Central Hudson test recognizes the constitutionality of regulations restricting advertising that concern an illegal product or service, or which is deceptive. For all other restrictions on speech that is defined as commercial speech, however, the Court's test requires that the government show that the regulation directly advances an important government interest, that it is no more restrictive of speech than necessary, and that there is a reasonable fit between the regulation on the speech and the purpose sought to be furthered by the regulation. FAMILY LAW (2-UNITS) LAW E449 (10 Weeks, 3 hours per week) This 2-unit credit/no-credit course concentrates on the basic framework of laws dealing with marital and non-marital relationships, and problems relating to divorce, child support, spousal support, custody of children, and adoption.
130
INTRODUCTION TO LAW (2-UNITS) LAW E450 This 2-unit credit/no-credit course involves a review of basic legal concepts and terminology, the organization of the federal and State court systems in the United States, and how litigation moves through the courts. Students in this course will be introduced to the different types of legal reasoning used in cases involving both common law and statutory law. Students must be able to read and understand key legal documents, especially judicial opinions, and litigation documents such as complaints and briefs. Students will also be introduced to how to brief a case, how to analyze a case, and how to apply it to a new fact pattern. Students will also perform some basic legal research by finding the applicable case law or statute, and then writing a legal memorandum.
155.4 - LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING
LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING: THE PERFORMANCE EXAMINATION (LAWYERING) (2-UNITS) LAW 709(R) This 2-unit credit/no-credit course focuses on writing techniques in the context of instruction that combines an examination of case-law, a mini-library digest, an assortment of memoranda, and producing a written response to specific legal issues that may be relevant to some aspect of the practice of law. LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING: CIVIL LITIGATION (1-UNIT) LAW E800 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course will emphasize the pleading and discovery aspects of civil litigation in California. It will address such matters as complaint drafting, preparing a discovery plan, preparing witnesses for depositions, writing demurrers, points and authorities, and motions to strike.
131
LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING: CRIMINAL TRIAL TECHNIQUE (1-UNIT) LAW E801 In this 1-unit credit/no-credit course, the student will become familiarized with the practical aspects of criminal trial practice, including arrest and detention procedures, bail, motions to suppress evidence, discovery motions, jury selection, and evidence evaluation. LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING: FEDERAL CRIMINAL APPELLATE PRACTICE (1-UNIT) LAW E802 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course maps the basic and necessary steps used in cases that are being heard in the district court in order to preserve issues on appeal. This course also deals with problems of appealability and solutions, the mechanics of preparing the record and appendix, motion practice before the court of appeals, availability of extraordinary writs, particular strategies for opening statements, and responsive and reply briefs. The role and structure of amicus curiae briefs, preparing and delivering oral arguments, seeking or opposing costs and attorney’s fees, seeking rehearing, and considering Supreme Court review is explored. Finally, this course will examine the principles and the most modern techniques for effective appellate brief writing.
132
LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING: CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS (1-UNIT) LAW E803 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course involves the completion of weekly reading and written assignments, and participation in on-campus and online forum discussion. Once completed, the student should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the basic legal concepts relating to analyzing and synthesizing court opinions, recognize inconsistent cases, understand the use of precedent, develop an effective method for briefing cases and outlining courses, demonstrate an understanding of the goal of a law exam answer and the methods used for achieving that goal, and demonstrate a basic distinction between the methods of written and oral advocacy. Students will be exposed to actual court filed legal briefs for comparative review, evaluation, and critique. LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING: DRAFTING AND PLEADING TECHNIQUES (1-UNIT) LAW E804 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course covers the necessary considerations prior to drafting a complaint, the sufficiency of the pleadings, the use of plain English, the appropriate use of the demurrer and motion to strike, answers to a complaint and cross-complaint, opposition motions, and understanding the local Rules of Court. LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING: DRAFTING CONTRACTS (1-UNIT) LAW E805 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course follows a learn-by-doing approach to drafting documents related to contracts, including document outlines, client letters to obtain deal terms, pre-incident releases, settlement agreements, and service and supply contracts, with emphasis on the use of plain English.
133
LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING: INTRO TO CIVIL TRIAL SKILLS (1-UNIT) LAW E806 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course introduces students to the method and manner of interviewing clients, gathering facts, drafting legal pleadings, taking of depositions, and preparing for trial. Generally, only students who have taken a course in Civil Procedure and Evidence as pre-requisites may take this course. LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING: MOOT COURT (1-UNIT) LAW E808 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course involves preparation in brief-writing and oral presentation on sophisticated legal issues, including oral argument before an appellate panel. LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING: OPENING & MANAGING A LAW OFFICE; CIVIL CASE MANAGEMENT (1-UNIT) LAW E809 This 1-unit credit/no-credit course deals with the business aspects of operating a civil law practice, and includes the basic office operations, advertising and marketing, partners and vicarious liability, case-load management, calendaring, compliance with civil rights laws, building a special practice, conflicts-of-interest issues, and ethical matters. LEGAL SKILLS TRAINING: ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (2-UNITS) LAW E402 This 2-unit credit/no-credit course involves a study of the various alternative methods of settling disputes, including negotiation, arbitration, and adjudication. These areas will be examined with special emphasis on the roles played by lawyers in relation to the various settings.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE LAW SCHOOL WEBSITE AT:
http://southerncaliforniainstituteoflaw.com
1
******
Southern California Institute of Law
Authorization for Release of Educational Records
I, _______________________________, the undersigned, hereby authorize the Southern
California Institute of Law (the “Institute”) to disclose and/or release to:
Name: Address:
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Phone/Fax:
the following information from my educational records at the Institute (please check the specific
box):
for the following purpose:
____________________________________________________________________________
____. A facsimile or photocopy of this Authorization shall be considered as effective and valid
as the original.
I hereby release the Institute, its employees and agents, from any liability to me or anyone
claiming by, through or under me, which may arise directly or indirectly out of the Institute’s
good faith compliance with this Authorization.
Witness: _____________________________
_____________________________ Print Name
Date: Signature: Print Name: Address:
Date of Birth: Student ID/Driver’s License #:
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
1
Southern California Institute of Law
TRANSFER STUDENT CREDIT EVALUATION FORM
Transfer Student Credit Evaluation Procedure: To request an evaluation of any prior law school
credit(s) in order to transfer any credit(s) to this Law School, you must (1) complete this form,
(2) provide a letter of good academic standing from any prior law school(s); and (3) provide the
official law transcript(s) from any prior law school(s).
Directions for this Form: Please fill out this form with any credit(s) received from any prior law
school(s). Note: You must have earned a “C” or better in each course for that course to be
evaluated for credit.
The first line is an example. For additional courses, please include them as shown in the example.
(Attach additional forms if needed.)
Applicant’s Name__________________________________________
Date: _ _ /_ _ /_ _ _ _.
Note: A tentative transfer credit evaluation is completed as part of the Application Process and
will be made available to admitted students prior to registration and payment of any tuition
and/or fees.
Course # Course Title Institution # of Credits Grade Term
LAW101 CONTRACTS
I and II
NAME OF LAW
SCHOOL 6
B
Spring
2019
2
For Administrative Use Only: State course name, amount of transfer credit awarded to
Applicant, and reference to the section in the Student Policy Manual that supports the
basis of award. (Attach additional forms if needed.)
Applicant’s Name____________________________
Date of Transfer Credit Letter: _ _/_ _/_ _ _ _
Date Recorded: _ _ /_ _ /_ _ _ _.
COURSE _________ # Units _____ Student Policy Manual § ___________
COURSE _________ # Units _____ Student Policy Manual § ___________
COURSE _________ # Units _____ Student Policy Manual § ___________
COURSE _________ # Units _____ Student Policy Manual § ___________
COURSE _________ # Units _____ Student Policy Manual § ___________
COURSE _________ # Units _____ Student Policy Manual § ___________
Staff Name __________________________
Signature___________________________ Date: _ _ /_ _ /_ _ _ _
1
Southern California Institute of Law
English Language Proficiency Verification Form
Directions: International Applicants are required to prove that they have the requisite
proficiency in the English language to satisfactorily complete the Juris Doctor Degree Program.
This requirement may be fulfilled by the Applicant by demonstrating a robust proficiency in the
English language.
If the Applicant’s native language is not English, but the Applicant’s education at the university
level was conducted entirely in English in either India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, or
Singapore, then a statement from an official at your university verifying that English was the
language of instruction must be included as part of the transcript submitted to the Law School.
For all other applicants, the Law School requires admission scores of 96 or above on the internet-
based TOEFL, or 7.0 or higher on the IELTS. We do not accept paper-based TOEFL scores.
Applicants with foreign educational backgrounds may satisfy English Proficiency Verification
by any one of the two methods described below:
1) Interview Conducted in English
Law School Admissions will conduct an interview with the Applicant in English only. The
interview may be conducted in-person, by videoconference (e.g., Skype, Zoom, Facetime), or by
telephone. The Admissions Officer that held the interview with the Applicant will, thereafter,
complete Part A of this English Language Proficiency Verification Form.
2) Native Speaker of the English Language
The Applicant will be required to present information that is necessary to satisfy Part B of this
English Language Proficiency Verification Form. The Admissions officer will, thereafter, certify
that the Applicant is a native speaker of the English language, and/or is a citizen of an English-
speaking country after review of proper biographical documentation submitted by the Applicant.
Request for Review of English Language Proficiency
To Be Filled Out by the Applicant
Name: _____________________________ Country of Origin:
___________________________
I Have Attached the Proper Biographical Documents:
a) Letter from a University Faculty Member or Dean confirming courses were taught in English
(check off): ___ Yes
b) Other supporting documentation (check off): ___Yes
(type)___________________________.
Applicant’s Signature__________________________________ Date: _ _/_ _/_ _ _ _. (M/D/Y)
2
Part A: English Language Proficiency Interview Verification
To Be Completed by the Admissions Officer Only
Name of Admissions Officer/Interviewer: ________________________________
Title: ____________________________________
Name of Interviewee: ________________________________
Date of Interview: _ _/_ _ /_ _ _ _.
Start Time: _ _: _ _ a.m. / p.m. ׀ End Time: _ _: _ _ a.m. / p.m.
Interview was conducted (check-off): in person____ by videoconference (add host company)
_________________ by phone _____.
Notes:_______________________________________________________________________
______________________________.
Under penalty of perjury, I hereby certify that I conducted the above interview in English, and it
is my professional opinion that the above Applicant possesses sufficient proficiency in the
English language to successfully participate and complete the Juris Doctor Degree Program at
the Law School, and has the ability to function in English on a day-to-day basis.
Signature ________________________________
Print Name_______________________________
Date _ _/_ _ /_ _ _ _.
Part B: English Language Proficiency Verification – Applicant is a Native Speaker of the
English Language
To Be Completed by the Admissions Officer Only
Under penalty of perjury, I hereby certify that I have reviewed the Applicant’s biographical
documents, and have verified that he or she is the citizen of a country where English is either the
native language or is a native speaker of the English language, and the Applicant possesses
sufficient proficiency to successfully participate in the Juris Doctor Degree Program at the Law
School, and is certified as able to function in English on a day-to-day basis.
Admissions Officer’s Signature _________________________ Title ____________
Print Name: _______________________________
Date _ _/_ _ /_ _ _ _.