Training Course Standards
Student Accomplishment Areas:
Level 5-Complete transition to legal thought, total understanding of the purposes of the justice system, understands the differences in legal problem solving as compared to other educational courses, grasps the priorities attached to various forms of legal reference and the concept of Stare Decisis, can explain the historical developments underpinning our system of Common Law.
Level 4- Exhibits above average knowledge of the goals of the justice system, comprehends the limited importance of factual truth in the context of evidence rules, is familiar with Constitutional, case law, and statutory forms of precedent.
Level 3- Adequate knowledge of the specifics of the justice system, awareness of various sources of law, a basic knowledge of the court system and its purposes.
Level 2- Fails to appreciate the differences associated with legal studies, responds to the study of law in the same manner as in all other college courses, uses general sources of reference.
Level 1- Total lack of understanding relating to the specific course or the topic of jurisprudence in general. Exhibits a lack of traditional textbook knowledge and is unaware of additional sources of reference.
Basic legal rules and relationships
Level 5- Has utilized the texts, internet and library case law and statutes, and law school journals to understand complex legal rules and systems. Is able to respond to situations where specific issues arise with sound reasoning, can identify appropriate reference citations concerning specific rules and their purposes.
Level 4- Exhibits a knowledge of most of the legal rules based upon the text readings of internet outlines, is aware of a portion of the reasons for their use, generally can associate the rules with particular systems..
Level 3- Is able to recall the most common rules and most situations in which they are used., has a simplistic knowledge and may fail to recognize exceptions, does not appreciate the reasons for their use and has failed to explore enough reliable reference sources. Has a basic understanding of the operation of the justice system.
Level 2- Has an understanding of various rules of criminal justice systems but may tend to misuse them when adapting them to particular system. Has a knowledge of basic jurisprudence acquired from outside sources. Is unable to explain the reasons for their use or identify any of their exceptions.
Level 1- Inadequate understanding of any of the rules, relies upon the recollection of movie or television depictions of criminal justice procedures, has failed to read the text or any reference material.
Recognition and identification of complex legal issues
Level 5- Has the ability to creatively identify and process numerous legal issues from any fact situation, can use reference material to thoroughly support each of the issues identified, can rank the legal issues according to credibility, can organize complex issues into logical points of argument.
Level 4- Is able to process and formulate legal ideas into argument points successfully, can understand complex legal fact situations in context, occasionally is able to support legal argument with precedent, can usually identify several legal issues within a complex factual situation.
Level 3- Is able to recognize and withdraw some legal issues within a simplistic fact statement, issues identified are non-specific and less creative, some of the issues identified are supported by logical legal argument and legal reference sources are cited .
Level 2- One or two very common legal issues are identified, the proper construction is lacking, reasoning is simplistic and lacking authoritative support, often legal issues unrelated to the facts may be presented.
Level 1- Student has failed to understand the factual material presented, legal issues presented have no relevance to the facts, argument is unsupported, no reference material has been consulted.