STATUTES AND STATUES:
INHERITANCE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

This assignment addresses the discipline-specific student learning outcomess of researching and analyzing primary authority applicable to inheritance laws. It allows students to reinforce their knowledge of New York law by comparing it to the laws of another jurisdiction. It also addresses practical paralegal skills of researching attorneys appraisers and courts in other jurisdictions. In addition it allows students to practice their use of discipline-specific(“ Bluebook”) citation form.

 This assignment also addresses general education student learning outcomes including developing and using the tools needed for written, oral and visual communication, using the arts as a forum for the study of values, gathering interpreting, evaluating and applying information from a variety of sources, and demonstrating expanded cultural awareness.

Each student is responsible for researching the inheritance laws of a different U.S. state.  Student research will be posted on a public blog on City Tech’s OpenLab.  Students will also research and write about an art object related to rituals surrounding death, burial, mourning, or commemorating decedents from a museum in their state.

 

 I. Acquire an account on City Tech’s OpenLab and join our Project, “ Statutes and Statues”. Look for the Pyramid at Greenwood Cemetery avatar to make sure you are joining the proper Project.  Join no later than midnight on Tuesday April 8, 2014 (5 points, if timely, 1 point off per day late)

Determine the state you will be researching according to the list below.

 II.   Part One – Your First Post to the Blog is due by midnight on Tuesday, April 29 (80 points if timely, 10 points off per day late

 

1. Using Bluebook citation form, cite to the statute(s) that govern intestate succession in your state. Explain the law in your state under the following fact patterns and in each case, compare to New York law:

a. If a decedent is survived by a spouse and issue.

b. If a decedent is survived by no spouse and no issue

MAKE SURE TO EXPLAIN THE LAW IN YOUR OWN WORDS – DO NOT CUT AND PASTE LAWS HERE!

2. Using Bluebook citation form, cite to the statute that concerns holographic and/or nuncupative wills in your state. Compare to New York law.

3. Using Bluebook citation form, cite to the statute that provides the number of witnesses necessary to duly execute a will in your state. Compare to New York law.

4. Determine the city with the second largest population in your state. Provide a working link to the website of a law firm that specializes in probate/estate planning (aka “trusts and estates”) in that city.

5. Provide a working link to the website of a real estate appraiser in the city with the second largest population in your state.

6. Provide the name and address of the court that handles probates in the city with the second largest population in your state.

7.  If a student wishes to earn an Associate or Baccalaureate degree in Paralegal Studies (or Legal Assistant Studies) in the city with the second largest population in your state, where could they earn such a degree? Provide a working link to the school’s website. Is the school ABA approved? Does it cost more or less than City Tech? Copy and paste the description of their Estates, Trusts and Wills course, if you can find it.

 PLEASE BE PREPARED TO OFFER A TWO MINUTE SYNOPSIS OF YOUR RESEARCH IN CLASS ON APRIL 30, 2014.

III.             Part Two – Your Second Post to the Blog is due by midnight on Tuesday, May 13  (15 points if timely, 5  points off per day late

1. Find an image (plus a working link to the image) of a statue from a museum or other place in your state. The statue must honor a decedent.

 

2. Describe the object in your own words.  Include where the statue is located, why the decedent  is being honored and your reaction to the statue.

 

 

 

Your State: 

		Adeniyi	Alaska
		Bowen	California
		Carter	Montana
		Clark	New Mexico
		Grebneva	Arizona
		Mary Sue	Donsky  New York
		Karki	Minnesota
		Kela	Idaho
		Marte Liz	Florida
		Melvin	Georgia

	Miller	Alabama
	Mosiyachenko	Pennsylvania
	Negron	Tennessee
	Newell	Kentucky
	Ouazzi	Indiana
	Powell	Maine
	Sanchez Caceres	Hawaii
	Shimonov	Vermont
	Singh	New Hampshire
	Tejera	New Jersey
	Watson	Connecticut