GENERAL COURSE RESOURCES!

• ZOOM LINK! for all classes and office hours: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81380874817 (Meeting ID 813 8087 4817)
• COURSE SYLLABUS!
• College Academic Calendar!
• Academic Integrity policies! City Tech and CUNY
• “How to Post and Reply on OpenLab” instructions!

COURT SYSTEM RESOURCES! (charts, maps, etc.)

• Federal court system charts: from Civil Procedure textbook and color chart
• Map of federal court system districts and circuits
• Chart of NYS court system (from Civil Procedure textbook)
• List of NY App. Div. departments & counties (from Civil Procedure textbook–adapted!)
• Map of NYS court system counties and departments
• “Introductory Guide to NYS Courts” (handy government publication)
• Chart on “binding/persuasive” authority (including when state courts bind federal courts and vice versa)

CASE BRIEFING RESOURCES!

• Case Brief Format (City Tech)
• Coughlin’s worksheet: Citing NYS Court Cases!
• “Guidelines for Case Briefing”! (Coughlin’s adaptation of Cardozo Law School document)
• John Jay College website, “How to Brief a Case” (follow info on “Student Briefs”)
• Sample brief from textbook! (King v. Miller)
• “Clean” copies of cases: People v Neulander, Lisa L. v. Anthony H.
• Cases color-coded for briefing: People v. Neulander, Lisa L. v. Anthony H.
• Sample briefs: People v. Neulander, Lisa L. v. Anthony H., Loving v. Virginia, Obergefell v. Hodges; Trivino v. Jamesway Corp.

ADVISEMENT & REGISTRATION STEPS & RESOURCES!

1. Email your faculty adviser for an appointment! Here’s the list of department advisers with hours, contact info, etc.
2. Review our program’s Degree Checklist!  Here’s the College Catalog–Degree Checklist is on pp. 188-189, LOTS of other useful info on pp. 186-192!
3. Review your record on DegreeWorks!  See what classes you still need, etc.  Here’s where you can sign in, and here’s guidance for using it!
4. See what classes are available!  Here’s a link to the schedule of classes for Summer & Fall 2021. 
5. Register for classes!  Here’s where you can sign in to CUNYfirst. 
6. Follow up with questions at any time!  Just fyi, you can change your Fall program through the first week of classes.
   

Other helpful advisement resources!!

• City Tech’s Financial Aid Office website
• City Tech’s “Academic Advising” page (LOTS of helpful links & info!)
• List of General Education (“Gen Ed”) Required Common Core and Flexible Common Core course options
• “The Companion” for First-Year Students (see pp. 69-72 on advisement and registration, plus LOTS of useful info and activities throughout!)

 

DAILY CLASS NOTES & MATERIALS!

Tues. Feb. 2 (class 1!) course introduction:

• Today’s class notes!
• Course syllabus!
• Spring 2021 Academic Calendar!

Th. Feb. 4 (class 2!) types of legal authorities:

• Today’s class notes!
• Course syllabus!
• Example of a secondary source: Coughlin’s law journal article! 🙂

Tu. Feb. 9 (class 3!) No class meeting–individual meetings instead!

Th. Feb. 11 (class 4!) binding vs. persuasive authorities; determining governing law; US legal system:

• Today’s class notes!
• Extra credit opportunity: legal news articles!
• 3 branches of government chart! 🙂

Tu. Feb. 16 (class 5!) US (federal) & NYS legal systems:

• Today’s class notes!
• 3 branches of government chart! 🙂
• US (federal) court system charts: from Civil Procedure textbook and color chart!
• Map of federal court districts and circuits!
• New York court system charts (a) from Civil Procedure textbook and (b) adapted from NYS Court System website (they’re similar, use whichever you like best)
• Lists of NYS appellate departments & counties in each (C&W)
• Map of NY court system counties and departments
• “Introductory Guide to NYS Courts” (handy government publication that briefly explains all the courts)

Th. Feb. 18 (class 6!) US (federal) & NYS legal systems:

• Today’s class notes!
• US (federal) court system charts: from Civil Procedure textbook and color chart! (similar, use whichever you like best)
• Map of federal court districts and circuits!
• New York court system charts (a) from Civil Procedure textbook and (b) adapted from NYS Court System website (they’re similar, use whichever you like best)
• Lists of NYS appellate departments & counties in each (C&W)
• Map of NY court system counties and departments

Tu. Feb. 23 (class 7!)

• Today’s class notes!
• Oral presentation assignment!

Th. Feb. 25 (class 8!) No Zoom meeting! Optional walking tour of courts near City Tech.  

Tu. March 2 (class 9!): when federal & state courts bind each other

• Today’s class notes!
• Chart on binding/persuasive authorities in federal & state courts

Th. March 4 (class 10!): federal & state courts binding each other; case reporting system; how to read a case

• Today’s class notes!
• Chart on binding/persuasive authorities in federal & state courts
• Examples of slip opinions: People v. Neulander (NY Ct of App), Obergefell v. Hodges (US Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage)
• “How to Read a Case” by Prof. Julie Novkov
• Other sources on how to read cases: Roosevelt University and FindLaw

Tu. March 9 (class 11!): understanding cases: People v. Neulander; quiz #2!

• Today’s class notes!
• “How to Read a Case” by Prof. Julie Novkov
• WestLaw version of People v. Neulander

Th. March 11 (class 12!): intro to case briefing!

• Today’s class notes!
• Leilani’s presentation:chart of primary & secondary sources for each jurisdiction!
• City Tech’s Case Brief Format!
• “Guidelines for Case Briefing”! (Coughlin’s adaptation)
• John Jay College website, “How to Brief a Case”! (follow info on “Student Briefs”)
• Sample brief from textbook! (King v. Miller)
• Sample brief of People v. Neulander!

Tu. March 16 (class 13!): review for midterm; reading and briefing cases!

• Today’s class notes!
• Mackenzie’s presentation: federal and state court jurisdiction!
• People v. Neulander–“clean” copy
• People v. Neulander–color coded for briefing!
• Sample brief of People v. Neulander!
• City Tech’s Case Brief Format!
• “Guidelines for Case Briefing”! (Coughlin’s adaptation)

Th. March 18 (class 14!): Midterm exam!

Tu. March 23 (class 15!): case briefing continued!  Neulander and Lisa L.

• Today’s class notes!
• Sherona’s presentation: Comparing US Supreme Court to NYS Supreme Court!
• Nasser’s presentation: US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit!
• “Clean” copies of cases: People v Neulander, Lisa L. v. Anthony H.
• Cases color-coded for briefing: People v. Neulander, Lisa L. v. Anthony H.
• Sample briefs: People v. Neulander, Lisa L. v. Anthony H.

Th. March 25 (class 16!): Guest speakers!  Tevin Williams & Elizabeth Adams

• Today’s class notes!
• Elizabeth Adams’ campaign website (for NY City Council)

Tu. April 6 (class 17!): Intro to Bluebook; advisement & registration!

• Today’s class notes!
• See advisement & registration steps & resources (way) up above!

Th. April 8 (class 18!): Intro to Bluebook cont’d; case briefing–Loving v. Virginia

• Today’s class notes!
• Ariana’s presentation: binding vs. persuasive precedent!
• Jasiyah’s presentation: US Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction!
• Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S.1 (1967): pdf and Word versions

Tu. April 13 (class 19!): case briefing continued & how to cite a case–Loving v. Virginia

• Today’s class notes!
• Daniella’s presentation: ensuring proper jurisdiction!
• Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S.1 (1967): pdf and Word versions
• Sample brief of Loving v. Virginia

Th. April 15 (class 20!):

• Today’s class notes!
• Ninmah’s presentation: state and federal courts can decide issues of state or federal law!
• Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S.1 (1967): pdf and Word versions
• Sample brief of Loving v. Virginia

Tu. April 20 (class 21!): Case synthesis–Loving and Obergefell; quiz #3!

• Today’s class notes!
• Evens’ presentation: Judicial Branch fun facts and decisions!
• Shayer’s presentation: types and importance of proper jurisdiction!
• Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S.1 (1967).
• Obergefell v. Hodges, 574 U.S. 644 (2015).
• Sample briefs of Obergefell v. Hodges: student’s and Coughlin’s!

Th. April 22 (class 22!): George Floyd verdict, case briefing: Trivino v. Jamesway!

• Today’s class notes!
• Yaire’s presentation: Anatomy of a Case Brief!
• Court’s decision in Trivino v. Jamesway Corp., 148  A.D.2d  851  (3d Dep’t  1989).
• Sample brief of Trivino v. Jamesway Corp.

Tu. April 27 (class 23!): No class session; individual meetings on Trivino briefs instead. 

Th. April 29 (class 24!): Citing NYS cases!

• Today’s class notes!
• Coughlin’s worksheet: Citing NYS Court Cases!
• Trivino v. Jamesway Corp. (which we cited)

Tu. May 4 (class 25!): Validating case law!

• Today’s class notes!
• Joseph’s presentation: Validating the law!

Th. May 6 (class 26!): NY case citation review; statutes!

• Today’s class notes!
• Case we cited: Corsello v. Verizon New York Inc.
• “I’m Just a Bill” on YouTube!

Tu. May 11 (class 27!): Citation review; administrative law!

• Today’s class notes!
• “I’m an Executive Order” (SNL) on YouTube! 🙂

Th. May 13 (class 28!): Secondary sources; quiz # 4!

• Today’s class notes!
• Kaela’s presentation: FAQs on state and federal court jurisdiction!
• Sharon’s presentation: attorney supervision of paralegals!

Tu. May 18 (class 29!): Final exam review!

• Today’s class notes! (just our agenda)
• Nyiah’s presentation: Importance of knowing federal, state & local rules, and sanctions for violating!

Th. May 20 (class 30!): FINAL EXAM!!  🙂