Curriculum for Aspiring Paralegals
The Pro Se Legal Studies Institute - Paralegal Program in Houston, Texas, is dedicated to providing quality legal instructions to all students. In this 6-month program, we teach you everything you need to know in order to thrive as a legal professional.
The Pro Se Legal Studies Institute - Paralegal Program’s curriculum introduces you to the legal system and teaches you the information and skills you’ll need to successfully support an attorney, including the preparation for legal research, drafting legal documents, and assembling the strategies needed for trial. You will graduate with an understanding of substantive law as well as procedural practices that will enable you to better understand the structure of the federal and state court systems. The Program is designed into 8 separate parts over a 6-month period as follows:
The Week Number & the Class Period for the Week: Example, Second Week / First Class is (02-01)
Topic Covered During the Class Period ("Continued" means that the same topic takes 2 class periods)
There are “no makeups” for examinations administered during the semester, but the lowest 2 grades made during the semester on all examinations, will be dropped.
Course Substantive Timeline
The Pro Se Legal Studies Institute - Paralegal Program’s curriculum introduces you to the legal system and teaches you the information and skills you’ll need to successfully support an attorney, including the preparation for legal research, drafting legal documents, and assembling the strategies needed for trial. You will graduate with an understanding of substantive law as well as procedural practices that will enable you to better understand the structure of the federal and state court systems.
(Example: 01-02 means the 1st week of the course and the 2nd class in that week; 03-01 means the 3rd week of the course and the 1st class in that week).
SPRING SESSION STARTING FEBRUARY 7, 2022 MWF
Part I – The State & Federal Court System & the Plaintiff’s Original Petition (4 weeks)
Monday February 7, 2022
Bad Conduct v. Illegal Acts; Causes of Actions (The criminalization of conduct)
Wednesday February 9, 2022
The State Court System: Jurisdiction & Venue (ie., Minimum Contact)
Friday February 11, 2022
The Federal Court System: Jurisdiction & Venue (ie., Diversity and Federal Question)
Monday February 14, 2022
QUIZ NO. 1
Wednesday February 16, 2022
Burden of Proof: Policing Stops – Reasonable suspicion and probable cause
Friday February 18, 2022
Burden of Proof: Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
Monday February 21, 2022
Burden of Proof: Clear & Convincing and Preponderance of the Evidence
Wednesday February 23, 2022
QUIZ NO. 2: Continued
Friday February 25, 2022
SPEAKER: THE ESTATE CODE & THE PROBATE & GUARDIANSHIPS SYSTEMS
Monday February 28, 2022
Components of the Plaintiff’s Original Petition
Wednesday March 2, 2022
Service of Process
Friday March 4, 2022
QUIZ NO. 3
Part II – Defendant’s Pleading, 3rd Party Pleadings & Damages (4 weeks)
Monday March 7, 2022
Defendant’s Original Answer & Other Claims
Wednesday March 9, 2022
Third Party Actions: Class actions, Interventions & Impleaders
Discussion on Amended & Supplemental Pleadings
Friday March 11, 2022
QUIZ NO. 4
Monday March 14, 2022
Damages: Compensatory
Wednesday March 16, 2022
Damages: Punitive and Injunctive relief
Friday March 18, 2022
Discovery: Introduction (TRCP, Rules …)
Monday March 21, 2022
QUIZ NO. 5
Wednesday March 23, 2022
Discovery: RFD & Interrogatories
Friday March 25, 2022
SPEAKER: LAW FIRM CASE MANAGEMENT
Monday March 28, 2022
Discovery: RFA, RFP and Depositions
Wednesday March 30, 2022
QUIZ NO. 6
Part III – Sources of Law (4 weeks)
Friday April 1, 2022
Primary Sources of Law: The US Constitution (Articles)
Continued (Bill of Rights & other Amendments)
Monday April 4, 2022
Primary Sources of Law: The Supreme Court & other courts (Case law)
Wednesday April 6, 2022
QUIZ NO. 7
Friday April 8, 2022
Primary Sources of Law: Statutes & Agency law
Monday April 11, 2022
Secondary Sources of Law: Law Journals, Treaties, etc
Wednesday April 13, 2022
Motion Practice: Dispositive Motions (Summary Judgment, Frivolous claims, Default Judgments & Non-Suits)
Friday April 15, 2022
QUIZ NO. 8
Monday April 18, 2022
Motion Practice: Drafting (6) motions to extend time to comply with TRCP
Wednesday April 20, 2022
SPEAKER: FAMILY LAW
Friday April 22, 2022
Motion Practice: Drafting (6) motions requesting clarification or sanctions of other party
Monday April 25, 2022
QUIZ NO. 9
Part IV – Legal Research & Legal Data Bases (4 weeks)
Wednesday April 27, 2022
Training on the District Clerks Data Bases: Harris and surrounding counties/secure username & password
Friday April 29, 2022
Continued
Monday May 2, 2022
Training on the County Clerks Data Bases: Harris and surrounding counties/secure username & password
Wednesday May 4, 2022
QUIZ NO. 10
Friday May 6, 2022
Training on the Texas E-filing System – secure username & password
Monday May 9, 2022
Continued
Wednesday May 11, 2022
Training on the CM/ECF System for federal cases – secure username & password
Friday May 13, 2022
QUIZ NO. 11: Continued
Monday May 16, 2022
SPEAKER: IMMIGRATION
Wednesday May 18, 2022
Training on the Westlaw Legal Research database with discussion on citations
Friday May 20, 2022
Continued
Monday May 23, 2022
QUIZ NO. 12
Part V Trial (4 weeks)
Wednesday May 25, 2022
Trial: Courtroom Personnel & Use of Courtroom Equipment; Jury selection
Friday May 27, 2022
Trial: Parties’ Opening Arguments & Pre-Trial Motions/Pleadings
Monday May 30, 2022
Trial: Witness Testimony: Lay Persons
Wednesday June 1, 2022
QUIZ NO. 13
Friday June 3, 2022
Trial: Witness Testimony: Experts
Monday June 6, 2022
Trial: Exhibits: Introduction & Exclusion
Wednesday June 8, 2022
Continued
Friday June 10, 2022
QUIZ NO. 14
Monday June 13, 2022
Trial: Closing arguments & Jury Deliberations (Verdict: Guilty, Not Guilty or Locked – Directed)
Wedensday June 15, 2022
SPEAKER: LEGAL WRITING
Friday June 17, 2022
Trial: Criminal versus Civil
Monday June 20, 2022
QUIZ NO. 15
Part VI – Post Trial Actions (4 weeks)
Wednesday June 22, 2022
Post Trial: Motions for a new trial and to set aside the verdict
Friday June 24, 2022
Continued
Monday June 27, 2022
Post Trial: Losing Party’s Right to Appeal: Timelines for Findings of Facts & Conclusions of Law
Wednesday June 29, 2022
QUIZ NO. 16
Friday July 1, 2022
Post Trial: Notice of Appeal; Clerk’s record and reporter’s record
**NO CLASS July 4, 2022**
Wednesday July 6, 2022
Post Trial
Friday July 8, 2022
Post Trial: Drafting of Appellant and Appellees’ Briefs
Monday July 11, 2022
QUIZ NO. 17
Wednesday July 13, 2022
Post Trial: Revisit Causes of Action and Plea Drafting
Friday July 15, 2022
SPEAKER: CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Monday July 18, 2022
Post Trial: Revisit Causes of Action and Plea Drafting
Wednesday July 20, 2022
QUIZ NO. 18:
*Classes canceled due to inclement weather will be updated on the website as needed.
FALL/WINTER SESSION STARTING August 1, 2022 MWF
Part I – The State & Federal Court System & the Plaintiff’s Original Petition (4 weeks)
Monday August 1, 2022
Bad Conduct v. Illegal Acts; Causes of Actions (The criminalization of conduct)
Wednesday August 3, 2022
The State Court System: Jurisdiction & Venue (ie., Minimum Contact)
Friday August 5, 2022
The Federal Court System: Jurisdiction & Venue (ie., Diversity and Federal Question)
Monday August 8, 2022
QUIZ NO. 1
Wednesday August 10, 2022
Burden of Proof: Policing Stops – Reasonable suspicion and probable cause
Friday August 12, 2022
Burden of Proof: Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
Monday August 15, 2022
Burden of Proof: Clear & Convincing and Preponderance of the Evidence
Wednesday August 17, 2022
QUIZ NO. 2: Continued
Friday August 19, 2022
SPEAKER: THE ESTATE CODE & THE PROBATE & GUARDIANSHIPS SYSTEMS
Monday August 22, 2022
Components of the Plaintiff’s Original Petition
Wednesday August 24, 2022
Service of Process
Friday August 26, 2022
QUIZ NO. 3
Part II – Defendant’s Pleading, 3rd Party Pleadings & Damages (4 weeks)
Monday August 29, 2022
Defendant’s Original Answer & Other Claims
Wednesday August 31, 2022
Third Party Actions: Class actions, Interventions & Impleaders
Discussion on Amended & Supplemental Pleadings
Friday September 2, 2022
QUIZ NO. 4
Monday September 5, 2022
Damages: Compensatory
Wednesday September 7, 2022
Damages: Punitive and Injunctive relief
Friday September 9, 2022
Discovery: Introduction (TRCP, Rules …)
Monday September 12, 2022
QUIZ NO. 5
Wednesday September 14, 2022
Discovery: RFD & Interrogatories
Friday September 16, 2022
SPEAKER: LAW FIRM CASE MANAGEMENT
Monday September 19, 2022
Discovery: RFA, RFP and Depositions
Wednesday September 21, 2022
QUIZ NO. 6
Part III – Sources of Law (4 weeks)
Friday September 23, 2022
Primary Sources of Law: The US Constitution (Articles)
Continued (Bill of Rights & other Amendments)
Monday September 26, 2022
Primary Sources of Law: The Supreme Court & other courts (Case law)
Wednesday September 28, 2022
QUIZ NO. 7
Friday September 30, 2022
Primary Sources of Law: Statutes & Agency law
Monday October 3, 2022
Secondary Sources of Law: Law Journals, Treaties, etc
Wednesday October 5, 2022
Motion Practice: Dispositive Motions (Summary Judgment, Frivolous claims, Default Judgments & Non-Suits)
Friday October 7, 2022
QUIZ NO. 8
Monday October 10, 2022
Motion Practice: Drafting (6) motions to extend time to comply with TRCP
Wednesday October 12, 2022
SPEAKER: FAMILY LAW
Friday October 14, 2022
Motion Practice: Drafting (6) motions requesting clarification or sanctions of other party
Monday October 17, 2022
QUIZ NO. 9
Part IV – Legal Research & Legal Data Bases (4 weeks)
Wednesday October 19, 2022
Training on the District Clerks Data Bases: Harris and surrounding counties/secure username & password
Friday October 21, 2022
Continued
Monday October 24, 2022
Training on the County Clerks Data Bases: Harris and surrounding counties/secure username & password
Wednesday October 26, 2022
QUIZ NO. 10
Friday October 28, 2022
Training on the Texas E-filing System – secure username & password
Monday October 31, 2022
Continued
Wednesday November 2, 2022
Training on the CM/ECF System for federal cases – secure username & password
Friday November 4, 2022
QUIZ NO. 11: Continued
Monday November 7, 2022
SPEAKER: IMMIGRATION
Wednesday November 9, 2022
Training on the Westlaw Legal Research database with discussion on citations
Friday November 11, 2022
Continued
Monday November 14, 2022
QUIZ NO. 12
Part V Trial (4 weeks)
Wednesday November 16, 2022
Trial: Courtroom Personnel & Use of Courtroom Equipment; Jury selection
Friday November 18, 2022
Trial: Parties’ Opening Arguments & Pre-Trial Motions/Pleadings
Monday November 21, 2022
Trial: Witness Testimony: Lay Persons
Wednesday November 23, 2022
QUIZ NO. 13
Friday November 25, 2022
Trial: Witness Testimony: Experts
Monday November 28, 2022
Trial: Exhibits: Introduction & Exclusion
Wednesday November 30, 2022
Continued
Friday December 2, 2022
QUIZ NO. 14
Monday December 5, 2022
Trial: Closing arguments & Jury Deliberations (Verdict: Guilty, Not Guilty or Locked – Directed)
Wednesday December 7, 2022
SPEAKER: LEGAL WRITING
Friday December 9, 2022
Trial: Criminal versus Civil
Monday December 12, 2022
QUIZ NO. 15
Part VI – Post Trial Actions (4 weeks)
Wednesday December 14, 2022
Post Trial: Motions for a new trial and to set aside the verdict
Friday December 16, 2022
Continued
Monday December 19, 2022
Post Trial: Losing Party’s Right to Appeal: Timelines for Findings of Facts & Conclusions of Law
Wednesday December 21, 2022
QUIZ NO. 16
Friday December 23, 2022
Post Trial: Notice of Appeal; Clerk’s record and reporter’s record
Monday December 26, 2022
Post Trial
Wednesday December 28, 2022
Post Trial: Drafting of Appellant and Appellees’ Briefs
Friday December 30, 2022
QUIZ NO. 17
Monday January 2, 2022
Post Trial: Revisit Causes of Action and Plea Drafting
Wednesday January 4, 2022
SPEAKER: CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Friday January 6, 2022
Post Trial: Revisit Causes of Action and Plea Drafting
Monday January 9, 2022
QUIZ NO. 18:
*Classes canceled due to inclement weather will be updated on the website as needed.