As courts get more crowded, busy attorneys are relying more and more on paralegals, legal secretaries, and law clerks to help them gather and evaluate evidence and prepare cases for trial. If you're interested in working in one of the most important and exciting areas of law, this course will provide you with the background information you'll need to get started. You'll learn basic principles of the law as it deals with the gathering, preparation, and presentation of evidence in both civil and criminal cases.

You will learn what evidence is and how its use has changed and evolved over the years into an intricate system which tries to protect everyone's rights while still searching for the proper and fair outcome in each case. The course will deal with the methods of gathering evidence for use in a trial, including the use of investigators, depositions, subpoenas, and interrogatories. It will also deal with the preparation of this evidence for use in trial by making sure it is relevant to the case at hand and admissible under such rules as the hearsay rule and the provisions of the Constitution.

The final aspect of the course deals with how the evidence is actually presented to a judge or a jury. This includes the order of calling witnesses, the use of experts, the making of opening and closing arguments, and the various other trial strategies involved in winning a trial. The differences between civil and criminal law cases are emphasized, and numerous examples are given from actual cases tried by the instructor and others.

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Recommended Courses:

Students who enrolled in Evidence Law were also interested in the following courses:

Introduction to Criminal Law II

Constitutional Law: Bill of Rights

Forensic Science for Writers

Introduction to Criminal Law

Workers' Compensation

Winning Strategy for the Courtroom

Syllabus:

All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.

A new section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.

Week One

Wednesday - Lesson 01

In this lesson, you'll get an overview of the often-fascinating topics of evidence law. You'll learn the importance of being focused and prepared as you gather, analyze, and prepare evidence for use in both civil and criminal trials. You'll also learn how important the paralegal, legal assistant, and legal secretary can be in helping attorneys deal with the intricacies of evidence law.

Friday - Lesson 02

On this day, you'll learn what makes evidence relevant to a particular legal matter and why not all relevant evidence is admissible in court. You’ll learn the difference between evidence used in criminal and civil cases, and how to prepare evidence for use at trial.

Week Two

Wednesday - Lesson 03

In this lesson, we'll explore hearsay evidence-you'll learn how to recognize it and you'll hear why it's inadmissible in court. You'll also find out about the numerous exceptions to the rule and learn how to make your evidence fit into the exceptions. You'll see that some of the exceptions are tricky, which makes this lesson very interesting.

Friday - Lesson 04

Today, we'll enter the fascinating arena of live testimony by witnesses. You'll find out what makes a witness competent to testify. You'll explore privileges that may preclude testimony by certain witnesses, such as spouses, doctors, and ministers. You'll also learn about some of the lesser-known privileges, such as those dealing with trade secrets and confidential informants.

Week Three

Wednesday - Lesson 05

A key element in many modern trials is the presentation of expert testimony. In this lesson, you'll learn how to find competent experts and discover how to use their testimony in both criminal and civil cases. You'll also learn about the limitations on some expert testimony and how these limitations are being tested.

Friday - Lesson 06

Before you can present evidence in court, you must find it. In this very important lesson, you'll learn techniques for uncovering the evidence you need to win a case. It all falls into the category of pre-trial discovery and in this lesson, you'll learn all about the use of interrogatories, depositions, and subpoena, to name a few.

Week Four

Wednesday - Lesson 07

Today, we'll talk about the use of documentary evidence in court. You'll learn how to authenticate the evidence so it's admissible, and you'll hear about such problems as forged documents. You'll also discover how important the chain of custody is when dealing with documentary evidence.

Friday - Lesson 08

In this lesson, we'll discuss the use of other forms of evidence, such as recordings, writings, and photographs. There are special rules that apply to such evidence and you'll learn how to make sure the evidence you gather complies with these rules. You'll learn how to analyze this evidence and make sure it is admissible in court.

Week Five

Wednesday - Lesson 09

Now that we've reviewed the various types of evidence, it's time to learn how to use it. The first thing you'll need to know is what constitutes the burden of proof in different types of cases. In other words, what do you need to do to win a case? You'll see that the burden is different in civil and criminal cases. We'll talk about instances when the burden of proof falls on your client, and how to represent defendants in criminal cases.

Friday - Lesson 10

Now it's time to learn how to prepare your evidence for trial, and then use it to win your case in court. We'll discuss how to organize your evidence so it will be well received and understood by a judge or jury. You'll also see how the preparation may differ in preparing a civil versus a criminal case. You'll also learn how to tie it all together with opening and closing arguments.

Week Six

Wednesday - Lesson 11

Sometimes a jury decides a case, sometimes a judge alone decides a case. There can be important differences in how you present evidence in these different situations. In this lesson, you'll learn about those differences and how important it is to know as much as you can about the jury or judge you'll be dealing with.

Friday - Lesson 12

There's nothing more important in trying a case than asking the right questions of your witnesses, and that's what this final lesson is all about. As a paralegal or legal assistant, you may be called on to help prepare the questions that will be asked of your witnesses on direct examination. You may also have to assist in preparing the questions to use in cross-examining the other side’s witnesses.

This course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor for this course will be Michael Connelly.

Michael Connelly is a former practicing attorney who specialized in trial law. He has tried and won hundreds of cases in virtually all areas of the law including constitutional, personal injury, juvenile, divorce and child custody, contract disputes, and criminal law. He has tried cases in both state and federal courts, winning several landmark decisions during his years of practice. He's also an expert in the preparation of legal briefs and memorandums. Connelly retired from active practice in 2000 and is now a published author, freelance writer, and teacher.

Requirements:

Internet access, e-mail, and the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser.

Student Reviews:

"At first I didn't think that this was going to be the right class for me. Intro to Criminal Law was a breeze, but when I started in on Evidnece Law it was harder than expected. I am glad that I pushed myself and I am glad that our teacher was there when I had questions about the lessons. Thanks."

"Even though I am a former Police Officer with over 13 years experience I found this course very interesting and rewarding."

"Excellent. Perfect. What else can I say?"

"Great course, great instructor."

"Great course! This course would be of interest to anyone. Instructor was clear and easy to understand."

"I am a teacher, and I have not worked in the law profession since 1996,and when I registered for this course I felt that it would be challenging--it was! The chapters were always interesting and the assignments were truly engaging (I have a legal studies degree at the bachelor's level and do no not recall having assignments of this caliber). This course has inspired me to re-enter the paralegal field although law school is in the back of my mind, hmmm! Excellent, Excellent, Bravo, Michael Connelly!"

"I am currently a workers comp hearing rep for an insurance carrier. This course has helped me immensely in taking testimony from claimants and lay witnesses. I also believe it has enhanced my skills in taking Doctors depositions. The instructor is very skilled in making his point."

"I enjoyed taking this course and I learned a lot of valuable information. Thank you and I would be interested in taking another class with this instructor."

"I enjoyed the class and it gave me valuable information to make me more knowledgeable. I have already referred friends and family to the class site. They were all interested. The instructor made sure we learned the material needed in the legal field. I know I did. He is, to me, a very good instructor and I always say it is up to the instructor to make a class work."

"I enjoyed the course content, and felt challanged by the assignments."

"I enjoyed this course a lot. It was easy to understand and very clear. I learned a lot and would recommend this course to others."

"I enjoyed this course. I took your other course on Constitutional Law as well. You do an excellent job on presenting the material. Thank you!"

"I enjoyed this course. I would recommend this to my friends."

"I enjoyed this course very much. The ability to do it online is wonderful since it is hard for me to do a classroom setting. I can read and reread if needed without feeling the stress of having to complete a chapter by the time I need to go to a classroom."

"I felt I learned an incredible amount of information regarding law and I found this course an excellent opportunity for me to learn more. Thank you for this opportunity. I have a Master's in Education and have always wanted to study law. I will be taking more of your courses."

"I found this online course to be very interesting and well explained."

"I gained so much knowledge from this course and I will recommend it to everyone that I know."

"I have enjoyed every single class that I have taken. The instructor and the class were both great."

"I have truly enjoyed this course and THE INSTRUCTOR."

"I learned quite a bit of interesting and helpful information from this course….Thank you so much for providing it. I really enjoyed reading about the different strategies you used in court. Very clever. Reading about your experiences made the course more fun, and the "inside" information is priceless. I would happily recommend this course to anyone who is interested in any kind of occupation that involves law….Thanks again for your time, and effort, and for sharing your knowledge with all of us."

"I loved the course and learned so much about evidence the law and where to go for references. Thank you."

"I loved this course. I would recommend it to anyone who asked! I also learned more than what was in the lessons by doing research for the assignments and using the supplementary materials. Thank you for a great course!"

"I really enjoyed attending this very informative course. The lessons were clearly written. The instructor's passion and expertise in law really shows in this class. I highly recommend this course to anyone who is considering a career in law."

"I really enjoyed the class. Thank you for offering it."

"I really enjoyed this class and learned how little I really knew about the law and evidence-thank you."

"I really found this an interesting course. I printed my lessons & quizzes to keep. This course gave down to earth information, which I feel could be useful at any time. I also liked the instructor's methods and lessons. It's also a help that no books are required. I think this has been well worth the time & effort."

"I thoroughly enjoyed this class and have recommended it to others. I feel the course has invaluable information."

"I thoroughly enjoyed this class. I am moving onto the Introduction to Criminal Law and then may continue with the paralegal courses. Mr. Connelly was very helpful in all the aspects of this course."

"I thought the instructor was excellent and professional and very patient and kind. I learned a great deal from the course and the instructor, I will recommend it to others. This has encouraged me to want to continue and learn as much as possible in this area of studies. Thank you!"

"I took this as a warm up for my paralegal certification and to get back into the swing of learning again. It was great for both."

"It was a wonderful course. I did not have any problems doing this course online like I believed I would. The instructure was great with his course outline. I loved the class and I already told others about this class."

"It was fun at 57 years old its been a long time since I was in school. So, this course was a good tune up for the paralegal course I plan to take."

"I would like to thank you on my very first on-line course. You made it very easy for me to learn, study, and achieve. You haven't heard the last of me, I will be taking more of your other courses that you provide. Once again, thank you."

"Kudos to the instructor for his presentation of the materials in this course. This course kept my attention and interest and has inspired me to check into other law related courses perhaps the paralegal courses that are offered on-line. I will definitely recommend his course to others who have an interest in law."

"Michael is absolutely wonderful. I certainly learned a lot from him and thoroughly enjoyed this course. Michael did a wonderful job of interspersing his life experiences with the lesson information. This was only my second on-line course and I found it to be a complete and helpful way to learn."

"Michael is a top shelf instructor. He answers every question with just the right amount of detail. I have signed up for another course he teaches. He has great style."

"Michael, well done. Your course should be a compulsory subject in high school, college, the workplace, the boardroom & the living room! It's about what everybody ought to know in order to be better prepared for the modern threats facing us all. Prevention is better than cure! Thanks for your dedication to the core principles of true justice as envisaged by the Founding Fathers."

"Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us! I loved the class."

"Thank you. Although I've been working in the legal field for many years, your course covered both familiar and new information in an interesting and easy to understand manner. I now have a better understanding of what I do everyday and why and I'm already applying what I learned in my job. I would recommend this course to both "old timers" like me and to "newbies" who are just starting in legal work. I look forward to taking additional courses from this instructor."

"Thank you for making this course available, as I (and many others like me) cannot spend time in a classroom and need to gain knowledge on this very important subject."

"Thank you. This course was very easy to follow and to understand. I liked how the quizzes were set up. It was all very useful to me as I am seeking a position as a legal secretary."

"The course was very helpful in being able to make a wise decision in pursuing a more useful career in this field."

"The instructor answered discussions timely and thoroughly. I enjoy the convenience of online courses and am always happy to learn something new."

"The instructor was a very interesting and phenomenal person. I would say this is the most interesting lesson I have ever taken and if his writings are so interesting and packed with information than I would love to hear him live, it would be like going to a movie or something. Keep up the GREAT work."

"This course has enlighted me as well as educated me in more ways than many. The course illustration was 110% natural. The instructor, Mr. Connelly, deserves a trophy for his outstanding creativity in this evidence law class."

"This course helped me tremendously. I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a lot. I am planning on going on to take the rest of the parallegal courses because this is a field I think I would be very good at. The instructor was great and was always there to answer questions in the discussion area. Thank you so much for an interesting, knowledgeable and great course."

"This course was great and I can't wait to start another online law course."

"This course was well worth taking. Great instructor and fantastic material. I walked away from this course with more knowledge than I anticipated. Thank you."

"This course worked out perfect for me!"

"This instructor is fantastic. I loved his stories, responses, and knowledge. I learned a tremendous amount. I really enjoyed taking this course and if there were others offered by them, I'd sign up."

"This is an ideal entry-level course for anyone who is interested in how the legal system "works"."

"This is my first law course, but it won't be my last. Michael was incredible; smart, informative, a pleasure to have met however briefly it was. Thank you for the great class and the opening of a potential career for me!"

"This was a great course for people who work full time. The examples used by the author were extremely helpful in helping to give proof for each lessons objectives."

"This was a great course. Having been through a trial myself, I was familiar with some of the issues presented, but I wish I had this information prior to that time. It would have been very helpful in understanding what was going on and how the process worked."

"This was a great course. It has really peaked my interest to complete the Paralegal Certificate program. Thanks!"

"This was a great course, very interesting. I plan on continuing my studies in this area."

"This was a great intro to law for me. Thanks."

"This was an excellent course. The instructor was very helpful. The lessons were also in depth."

"Very dedicated instructor. I needed the discussion areas to be open a little longer to complete assignments."

"Very interesting course; easy to understand details."

"Working in a correctional setting for the past almost 9 years I have learned a lot. I wanted to learn more, shall I say of the facts of the law from a reliable source. I found the class to be both interesting and informative. I feel it was just right on length and information given. I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to gain a better insight into the law."