Legal Office Procedures - Family Law
Curriculum guideline
Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course code
OADM 1327
Descriptive
Legal Office Procedures - Family Law
Department
Office Administration
Faculty
Commerce & Business Administration
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
201420
PLAR
Yes
Semester length
15 weeks x 4 hours per week = 60 hours
Max class size
30
Contact hours
Lecture: 2 hours per week
Seminar: 2 hours per week
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Learning activities
A combination of lectures, guided practices, assignments, case studies and research assignments will be used. Active learning is an integral part of this course, and emphasis will be placed on a “hands-on” environment to allow students to work both independently and collaboratively to learn and apply procedures and tasks carried on in a legal office. Both learning activities and evaluations will be structured to stress problem solving, accuracy, and working within time constraints.
Course description
This course introduces the student to the role and responsibilities of a Legal Administrative Assistant employed in the field of family law in British Columbia. Students will gain knowledge and practical experience in topics such as statutes and rules, divorce and family courts, marriage in B.C., pre-nuptial and separation agreements, undefended and defended divorce actions, chambers applications, annulment, change of name, adoption and applications to Provincial Court. This is a “hands-on” course in which the students integrate keyboard, computer, document formatting and transcription skills, with a knowledge of family law.
Course content
- Historical Overview: historical developments in family law
- Overview: why the family law client is unique
- Opening the family law file: sample lawyer’s initial interview notes
- The Divorce Act: grounds for divorce, bars to divorce, forms of divorce (undefended, joint, defended), jurisdiction
- The Family Relations Act: relief available, importance of provisions concerning division of family property, jurisdiction
- Application of the Supreme Court Family Rules
- Financial disclosure: Forms F8 and F9
- Child support: preparation of the Child Support Affidavit and application of the Child Support Guidelines
- Simple calculations of child support amounts
- Preparation of the Notice of Joint Family Claim in support of a joint divorce
- Preparation of the Notice of Family Claim and related documents in support of an undefended divorce
- Preparation of the Response to Family Claim and related documents in support of a defended divorce
- The divorce order: preparation, approval by counsel
Learning outcomes
The learner has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Read and understand the relevant statutory materials, the Supreme Court Family Rules, the Divorce Act, and the Family Relations Act
- Identify the distinct applications of the Divorce Act and the Family Relations Act
- Recognize the primary relief available under the Divorce Act and the Family Relations Act
- Identify the rules on financial disclosure
- Calculate basic child support under the Federal Child Support Guidelines
- Accurately prepare the course documents required in a joint divorce proceeding
- Accurately prepare the court documents required in an uncontested divorce proceeding
- Accurately prepare the court documents required to defend a contested divorce proceeding
- Transcribe accurately family law correspondence and documents, including marriage and separation agreements, using appropriate and relevant legal terminology
- Observe ethical standards with respect to client confidentiality in the completion of all work
Means of assessment
| Assignments | 5% - 10% |
| Simulations | 30% - 40% |
| Midterm and/or Test(s) | 25% - 30% |
| Final Exam | 20% - 25% |
| Keyboarding Speed Average of best three 5-minute timings |
5% |
| Total | 100% |
Textbook materials
Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students:
Family Law Manual, Latest Ed., Douglas College or other family law textbook as determined by the instructor.
An instructor approved keyboarding timed writing textbook (used in OADM 1303).
Course packs as determined by the instructor.
Corequisites
Which prerequisite