Esteemed Students! Check out the FREE opportunities I just posted in the “Events & info” page!! An awesome virtual summer program for aspiring women leaders, and help with your writing in all subjects (not really free because you pay for it with college fees–so get your money’s worth!).
Cheers,
Prof. C.
Esteemed Students!
I’m sorry to interrupt your weekend, especially one as beautiful as this, just wanted to let you know I’ve posted in the GradeBook here on OL (linked at the bottom right corner of the “home” page) your midsemester grade (P, BL, U), midterm exam grade (out of 100) and grades on each of our two quizzes (both out of 20).
The midsemester grades mean that, as of now, you are either passing the course (P), on the borderline between passing and failing (BL), or your performance is unsatisfactory (U) and makes it unlikely that you will pass if you continue in that manner. Remember, the minimum “passing” grade for all Law courses is 70. Remember also, you have until May 17 to drop any course and receive a grade of “W” on your transcript, which will not affect your GPA but you will have to repeat the course to earn credit for it. Remember further, it is unlikely that the college will allow “CR/NC” grading this semester as it has since the pandemic, so do not count on having that option available to you. Finally, there’s still time! If you are not satisfied with your performance so far, you have several weeks to improve it, and I’d be happy to talk with you about how we can make that happen. (There’s also still time to decline, so don’t slack off. 🙂 )
If anyone has questions about any of this, or would like to discuss your grades or anything at all, please don’t hesitate to let me know and we’ll set a time! Now, go back to enjoying this beautiful weekend!
Cheers,
Prof. C.
Esteemed Students!
YOU are cordially invited to the Law and Paralegal Studies Club’s Alumni-Student Q&A Mixer TONIGHT!! Fri. March 19, 5-7pm. Check out the flyer below for who’ll be there and other details. Zoom information is also below!
I hope you’ll attend!
Have a great weekend,
Prof. C.
Esteemed Students,
If there are any homework assignments you have not submitted, you may submit them through the end of the day tomorrow (Fri. March 19) and I will still consider them in your midsemester status grade (P, BL or U). All homework assignments for this semester are listed on the “Assignments” page. Please do not ask me whether you submitted any assignments. You can confirm whether you submitted an assignment by searching the posts or “replies” here on OpenLab, or by checking your email’s “sent” folder for assignments submitted by email. This grace period does not apply to assignments that I noted would not be accepted late.
Have a great day and weekend!
Prof. C.
Good morning Students!
Your midterm exam is available on Blackboard (in “Content”) for you to take today (Thursday, March 18, 2021) during any two-hour period until 5pm, in one sitting. We will not meet for class today! Your submission of the exam is your “attendance” in today’s class. Once you start the exam, you must complete and submit it before logging off Blackboard. The exam will automatically close and “submit” two hours after you start. Choose the best answer to each question. Each answer is worth three points except the short essay, which is worth ten points. During the exam, you may, and should, refer to the maps and charts of the court system posted below (same ones are posted in “Class notes & materials,” near the top, listed under “Court System Resources,” and on Blackboard, in “Content”). If you have questions or technical problems during the exam, or you need additional time, you are welcome to call me at 718.260.4939 any time until 5pm. Also, between 10am and 1pm (our usual class and “office hours” time) you may join the class Zoom link to talk to me. I do not recommend emailing me with questions because I may not see your email in a timely manner!
Good luck, and have a great weekend! Prof. C.
P.S. Be sure to see my announcement below for information about a homework “grace period”!
COURT SYSTEM RESOURCES! (charts, maps, etc.)
Esteemed Students,
By 9am on Tuesday, March 23, please read Lisa L. v. Anthony H., a SHORT! 1995 decision by the N.Y. Appellate Division, First Department, and reply to this post with a draft of the element of the brief assigned to you below, as you would write it for a case brief! In your post, please identify which element you are drafting. For guidance, check out the helpful descriptions of each element of a brief and the sample brief in textbook ch. 18 pp. 351-365 (on Blackboard), and this sample brief of People v. Neulander.
Happy briefing! 🙂
Prof. C.
Esteemed Students,
I hope you are enjoying this sunny (though chilly) day! Don’t forget, we WILL meet for class tomorrow (Tues. March 9) at 10am on Zoom!! We’ll finish about 10:45am so you can take Quiz #2 on Blackboard. Be sure to STUDY!! It covers everything we’ve discussed since quiz #1, particularly when state and federal courts bind each other (ch. 1 part B) and the case reporting system (ch. 3). See the “class notes & materials” page for helpful study tools, like notes I showed you on the screen, handy charts, etc. In prep for our class discussion before the quiz (10-10:45am), please review Prof. Novkov’s essay, “How to Read a Case” and re-read this version of People v. Neulander (from WestLaw).
Have a pleasant evening, see you tomorrow 10am!
Prof. C.
Read this essay, “How to Read a Case” by Prof. Julie Novkov of SUNY at Albany, and this NY Court of Appeals decision, People v. Neulander. By 9am Thursday, March 4, post a “reply” to this post in which you do TWO THINGS: (1) Write a short response and/or question about the essay that shows you read and thought about it! (2) Answer any ONE of questions 1-4 in the essay (including the “bullet point” subquestions beneath it) as it applies to People v. Neulander. This assignment will not be accepted late. 🙁 Optional: For extra insight on reading court decisions, check out these sources from Roosevelt University and FindLaw!
Just a reminder! Tomorrow (Tues. Feb. 23) we’ll meet for class at 10am as usual, then at about 10:45am, we’ll stop and you’ll all go to Blackboard to take our first quiz! PLEASE study! Review the “class notes,” maps, charts, and other materials posted here under “Class notes & materials,” as well as your own notes, assigned readings, and other information you find useful. If you plan to review these materials for the first time during the quiz, you probably won’t have time to complete it! 🙁
It looks like we are a GO for our (optional) walking tour of the courts this Thursday! 🙂 Forecast shows sunny and 45 degrees. Information about the trip is posted below and on the “Events & opp’s” page, and we’ll discuss it briefly in class tomorrow. We’ll also discuss the oral presentation assignment, here it is in case you want a preview.
See you tomorrow!
Prof. C.
Good afternoon students! Here is some information about our OPTIONAL walking tour of the courts near City Tech, this Thursday, Feb. 25.
We’ll meet at the Atrium entrance to City Tech (on Tillary Street) at 10am SHARP! Maps and directions are below, and here is what it looks like:
We will leave City Tech for the tour at 10am and return to City Tech about 11:15am. If these times are a problem for you, let me know!
This trip is OPTIONAL. Each student may choose not to attend for any reason at all, which you do not need to tell me. To gain the academic benefit of the tour and to earn credit for attending Thursday’s class, you may view a video option that will be posted, and post a “reply” with a comment or question about it.
Here is helpful information for the trip:
Hope for good weather!
Prof. C.
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