PELLISSIPPI STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE MASTER SYLLABUS
TORTS LAW 2100
Class Hours: 3.0						Credit Hours: 3.0
Laboratory Hours: 0.0						Revised: Fall 09
NOTE: This course is not designed for transfer credit.
Catalog Course Description:
	Survey of state and federal law treating civil injury or damage to persons or property; worker's compensation; intentional torts; negligence; product liability; malpractice; and wrongful death.  Emphasis on the legal assistant's role in personal injury and worker's compensation cases.
Entry Level Standards:
	College-level competencies in logic, reading, and English are required.
Prerequisites:
	LAW 1000
Corequisite:
	LAW 1060
Textbook(s) and Other Course Materials:
	Schaffer, Lisa, McGraw-Hill’s Torts for Paralegals, McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2009.
I. Week/Unit/Topic Basis:
	Week				Topic
	1				Introduction and Overview of Torts and Related Causes of Action: distinguish between tort and crime, tort and contract (1.0 hour); intentional torts (.25 hour); negligence (.25 hour); strict liability (.25 hour); elements (.50 hour); procedural overview (.25 hour); legal ethics (.25 hour); terminology (.25 hour)
	2				Intentional torts against the person: elements of battery (.50 hour); elements of assault (.50 hour); elements of false imprisonment and false arrest (.50 hour); elements of infliction of emotional distress (.50 hour); elements of defamation (.50 hour); elements of invasion of privacy: intrusion, appropriation, public disclosure of private facts, false light (.25 hour); transferred intent (.25 hour)
	3				Intentional torts against property: elements of trespass to land (l.0 hour); elements of trespass to chattels (.50 hour); elements of conversion (.50 hour); trespass in cyberspace (.25 hour); fact finding (.25 hour), assistance with litigation (.25 hour); terminology (.25 hour)
	4				Defenses to intentional torts (3.0 hours)
	5				Negligence: Duty and breach of duty (.75 hour); elements of negligence (.25 hour); the reasonable person (.50 hour); objective v. subjective standard (.50 hour); res ipsa loquitur (.50 hour); negligence per se (.50 hour)
	6				Negligence: Proximate cause (1.0 hour); causation in fact (.50 hour); but for causation (.50 hour); intervening causes (1.0 hour)
	7				Negligence: Defenses: comparative negligence (pure v. restricted) (1.0 hour), contributory negligence (objective standard) (.5 hour); last clear chance, elements of assumption of the risk (subjective standard) (1.0 hour); statutes of limitation (.5 hour)
	8				Negligence: Damages: compensatory (1.0 hour); punitive (.50 hour); mitigation (.50); joint tortfeasors (1.0 hour)
	9				Vicarious liability: employer-employee (1.0 hour); torts against and within the family: loss of consortium (.50 hour); family purpose doctrine (.50 hour); respondeat superior (.50 hour) ; imputed negligence (.50 hour)
	10				Premises Liability and Nuisance: duties of landowner (.50 hour); trespasser, licensee, invitee (1.0 hour); landlord/tenant (.50 hour); private nuisance (.25 hour); public nuisance (.25 hour); defenses (.50 hour)
	11				Strict Liability: categories of harm when fault of defendant is irrelevant (.50 hour); abnormally dangerous activities (1.0 hour), wild animals (1.0 hour); defenses (.50 hour)
	12				Product Liability: Negligence: manufacturer, retailer, defenses (1.0 hour); warranty (express and implied) (1.0 hour); design defects (1.0 hour)
	13				Professional Liability: medical malpractice, informed consent, damage caps (1.0 hour); legal malpractice, paralegal’s liability (1.0 hour); misrepresentation, other torts (1.0 hour)
	14				Workers' Compensation: background; Tennessee's statutes (1.5 hours) filing claims, eligibility and determinations (1.5 hours)
	15				Final Examination
II. Course Objectives*:
	A.			Understand and be able to apply basic principles of tort and compensation law when assisting attorney with civil litigation.  I, II, III, IV, V
	B.			Understand the role of the paralegal in tort and compensation litigation. I, II, III, IV, V
	C.			Prepare basic documents used in tort and compensation cases.  I, II, III, IV, V
	D.			Continue developing a legal vocabulary.  I, II, IV
*Roman numerals after course objectives reference goals of the Paralegal Studies program.
III. Instructional Processes*:
Students will:
	1.			Practice elements of the work ethic such as professionalism, preparedness, punctuality, honesty, cooperation, dependability, contribution, effectiveness, good manners, etc. Active Learning Strategy, Transitional Strategy
	2.			Refine their reading skills and expand their legal vocabularies through completion of weekly guided reading exercises that allows them to communicate more effectively with lawyers and legal professionals. Communication Outcome, Active Learning Strategy,  Transitional Outcome
	3.			Strengthen their analytical skills by locating court cases and statutes in the Educational Resource Center and on Westlaw to determine the application of the rules of law to specific facts. Communication Outcome, Technological Literacy Outcome, Transitional Strategy, Active Learning Strategy
	4.			Examine ethical issues related to legal representation, unauthorized practice of law, confidentiality, duty of legal professional to provide legal services, etc. Communication Outcome, Transitional Strategy, Active Learning Strategy
	5			Listen to guest speakers from the legal community to learn the demands for legal assistants who possess basic knowledge of legal topics in the work world. Transitional Strategy
	6			Develop investigative skills using the Internet, library, and governmental agency resources to find relevant information. Technological Literacy Outcome, Transitional Strategy, Active Learning Strategy
*Strategies and outcomes listed after instructional processes reference TBR’s goals for strengthening general education knowledge and skills, connecting coursework to experiences beyond the classroom, and encouraging students to take active and responsible roles in the educational process.
IV. Expectations for Student Performance*:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
	1.			Demonstrate a complete and thorough understanding of legal ethics.  A,B,C
	2.			Analyze fact patterns to ascertain "cause in fact" and "proximate cause."  A,D
	3.			Identify and compute damages which may be recovered.  A,B,C,D
	4.			Distinguish between intentional, reckless, and negligent conduct.  A,D
	5.			Identify and understand the elements of intentional torts.   A,D
	6.			Analyze application of negligence defenses.  A,D
	7.			Recognize required elements of claims for compensation for on-the-job injuries.   A,B,C,D
	8.			Understand the basic principles of product liability law. A,D
*Letters after performance expectations reference the course objectives listed above.
V. Evaluation:
	A. Testing Procedures:
			Students are evaluated primarily on the basis of tests.  The instructor will provide full details the first week of class via a syllabus supplement.
	B. Laboratory Expectations:
		N/A
	C. Field Work:
		Students will complete several out-of-class skills projects. These may include: Legal writing exercises  Drafting complaint for negligence Drafting settlement statement Drafting worker's compensation complaint Interview a paralegal or other non-lawyer professional who works with personal injury or  other tort-related work (i.e. insurance agent, adjuster, personnel manager who handles       worker's comp) and make oral report Preparing deposition summary Preparing witness for depositions
	D. Other Evaluation Methods:
		All tests and papers will be graded for spelling and English usage in addition to content and format. Students are partially evaluated on the basis of in-class projects requiring use of the stated skills. Class participation is important and will be considered in the final grade. Any student encountering academic difficulty during the term is strongly encouraged to meet with the instructor to discuss options and solutions.
	E. Grading Scale:
		A       93-100     B+     88- 92     B       83- 87    C+     78- 82    C       73- 77    D       65- 72    F        64 and below
VI. Policies:
	A. Attendance Policy:
		Pellissippi State expects students to attend all scheduled instructional activities. As a minimum, students in all courses (excluding distance learning courses) must be present for at least 75 percent of their scheduled class and laboratory meetings in order to receive credit for the course. Individual departments/programs/disciplines, with the approval of the vice president of Learning, may have requirements that are more stringent. In very specific circumstances, an appeal of the policy may be addressed to the head of the department in which the course was taken. If further action is warranted, the appeal may be addressed to the vice president of Learning. (Pellissippi State Online Catalog)
	B. Academic Dishonesty:
		Plagiarism, cheating and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited. A student guilty of academic misconduct, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance, is immediately responsible to the instructor of the class. In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed through the regular Pellissippi State procedures as a result of academic misconduct, the instructor has the authority to assign an F or a zero for the exercise or examination or to assign an F in the course.   (Pellissippi State Online Catalog)
	C. Accommodations for disabilities:
		Students who need accommodations because of a disability, have emergency medical information to share, or need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated should inform the instructor immediately, privately after class or in her or his office. Students must present a current accommodation plan from a staff member in Services for Students with Disabilities (SSWD) in order to receive accommodations in this course. Services for Students with Disabilities may be contacted by going to Goins 134 or 126 or by phone: 694-6751(Voice/TTY) or 539-7153. More information is available at www.pstcc.edu/departments/swd/.
	D. Other Policies:
		Computer Usage Guidelines: College-owned or –operated computing resources are provided for use by students of Pellissippi State.  All students are responsible for the usage of Pellissippi State’s computing resources in an effective, efficient, ethical and lawful manner.  (Pellissippi State Online Catalog) Late Work: Late papers will not be accepted nor will make-up tests be given without specific approval of the instructor.