Welcome! I have finished putting this course together for the Fall 2009 semester.

You can now proceed to review the entire course and contact me with any questions you might have.

Like the old saying goes, "IF YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF IT, GET INTO IT" so let's get into it and have a great semester.

POSTED AT 8:00 A.M. ON 08/27/2009

PATRICK T. DEANE, ATTORNEY AT LAW

PLA 101 INTERNET

Welcome to PLA 101 online.

To get started, you should start with Chapter 1

Exam 1 will cover the following chapters:

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3

Make sure you read and understand every detail of this course Home Page, the Course Syllabus, the Mid-Term Interactive Assignment, and the Final Interactive Assignment.

The Course Syllabus, Mid-Term Interactive Assignment, and Final Interactive Assignment are in an Adobe PDF format and can be accessed by clicking on the links at the bottom of this course Home Page.

NOTE: To view/print those documents you must use Adobe Acrobat Reader. The documents should open automatically when you click on the each link below. If not, you may not have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer. However, you can download it for free at www.adobe.com

THE TEXT FOR THIS COURSE IS INTRODUCTION TO PARALEGAL STUDIES BY KATHERINE A. CURRIER 3RD EDITION (PUBLISHED BY ASPEN ISBN 9780735557550 and/or 0-7355-5755-1 ASPEN PUBLISHERS INC) SEE http://www.aspenlawschool.com/books/currier_introparalegalstudies/default.asp

Please keep track of the date and time of my bulletin board messages so that you know if you are looking at the most recent material/notices

Also, note the link for the course calendar at the bottom of this page. I have posted important dates on the course calendar

I work on the course almost every day. Therefore, you should make it your habit to constantly check the course (including the bulletin board, private mail and calendar) for any scheduling or other changes to the course.

I reserve the right to make any and all course changes I deem necessary as the semester progresses.

Also, note the pace of this course. You will be taking an exam approximately every 4 weeks. If you allow yourself to fall behind, you will not do well in this course.

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION

NOTE: Again, I work on this course almost every day. You should make it your habit to constantly check the bulletin board, private mail, and course calendar for course assignments, scheduling changes, course grading changes, etc.

In the past, some students have not checked the course often enough and have missed assignments, test date changes, etc.

Fair Warning! I will not allow you to make-up missed assignments or exams so you must constantly check the course home page (this page), the bulletin board, course calendar, and your private mail in WebCT.

I will be posting the most relevant information on the bulletin board and/or course calendar from time to time.

You should also constantly check your private mail in WebCT for information regarding the course.

I will not grant extensions of time to take any of the Exams or submit any of the Mandatory Assignments or Interactive Assignments. If you miss an Exam, Mandatory Assignment or Interactive Assignment, you will not do well in this course.

If you have any problems, you need to send me a private mail via WebCT or call me on 708-596-2000 X2538

MAKE SURE YOU CONTACT ME THROUGH THE PRIVATE MAIL FEATURE IN WEBCT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

I WILL NOT ANSWER E-MAILS SENT TO ANY ADDRESS OTHER THAN THROUGH THE PRIVATE MAIL FEATURE IN WEBCT.

Please use the Discussions/Bulletin Board to ask each other questions and/or ask me questions that I can respond to in a public manner.

You should think of the Discussions/Bulletin Board as our "classroom" wherein you can ask me and your fellow classmates questions that would be appropriate in a CLASSROOM setting.

You should think of the Private Mail feature of WebCT as a private discussion between you and me in the hall or in my office if we were on campus.

If you have a question and you think the class would benefit from my response, ask me on the Bulletin Board. That way the entire class is helped by my response.

I will post instructions regarding the proper use of the Bulletin Board on the Bulletin Board. Some students in the past have not followed those instructions and have missed earning points towards their final score.

FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS -- You should know that I believe one of the most important tasks a paralegal can perform is to EXPLICITLY follow directions.

Can you imagine a nurse in the medical community not following a doctor's instructions? That nurse could kill a patient by administering the wrong dosage of medication. I like to think that a paralegal is to a lawyer what is nurse is to a doctor.

Therefore, I would like you to get used to following directions early on in your career. I want you to think of me as the lawyer you will work for some day in the legal profession and explicitly follow my directions. I know this sounds very tough but this is the nature of the profession you have chosen.

FAIR WARNING! If you do not follow my instructions, I will not grade your postings and you will not do well in this course.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me online USING PRIVATE MAIL IN WEBCT, the Bulletin Board or on my college extension.

GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION

OFFICE -- Room 3427 -- Phone (708) 596-2000 X2538

GRADING AND TESTING -- Please see the course Syllabus, Mid-Term Interactive Assignment and Final Interactive Assignment documents.

STUDENT CONDUCT -- The terms and provisions of the current South Suburban College Catalog are hereby incorporated by reference into this course outline and made a part of this document. Specifically, the terms and provisions of the Student Codes of Conduct contained in the current South Suburban College Catalog are hereby incorporated by reference into this course outline and made a part of this document. Please familiarize yourself with the Student Codes of Conduct and adhere to them at all times.