COLLEGE OF LAW
COURSE SYLLABUS
Course Code : JD103
Course Title : Legal Research and Writing
Course Credit : 2 Units
Course Prerequisite : None
Term : 2nd Semester
Academic Year : 2022-2023
Day : Wednesday
Time : 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Course Delivery Mode : Hybrid (Online Lecture, F2F Examination)
Professor : Atty. Darren J. Gonzales1
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course introduces the structures of legal research methodology and the preparation of legal
opinions, memoranda, or expository or critical papers on any subject approved by the law faculty
member. It also includes legal writing technique and style, applying legal bibliography, case
digesting and reporting analysis, and legal reasoning. The course also provides an overview of
legal communications.
COURSE OUTLINE
LEARNING LEARNING
WEEK TOPIC
METHODS RESOURCES
Course Introduction
Week 1 • Self-Introduction
Lecture
Jan 23 – • Course Overview Course Syllabus
Discussion
28, 2023 • Course Assignments
• Course Requirements
1 Atty. Darren J. Gonzales obtained his Juris Doctor degree from Wesleyan University-Philippines. He
completed his Master of Arts Major in Public Management and his Bachelor of Arts Major in Political
Science from Araullo University-PHINMA. He used to work with different International Non-
Government Organizations working for electoral reform, strategic politics and development, and
community empowerment. He is a former Chief of Staff at the Provincial Government of Nueva Ecija for
the office of the 3rd District Board Member. Currently, he is the Secretary of the College of Law, and the
Director of the Office for Legal Aid of Wesleyan University-Philippines. He is also a name Partner at
Manuel-Cornejo and Gonzales Law Offices, a full-service firm catering to civil and criminal litigation. For
consultation he may be reached thru his email at [email protected] or mobile number 0968 860
1291.
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LEGAL WRITING
Arvin Antonio
Preliminaries Ortiz, Legal
• Advocacy Lecture Writing Plain
Week 2
Discussion and Simple: A
Jan 30 – • The Modern Practice of Law
Practical Guide
Feb 4, • Writing in Law Practice
Exercise #1: for Law Students
2023 • State of Legal Writing
Personal Essay and Beginning
• The Need to Write Well Lawyers (2021).
• Good Legal Writing (pp 2-21)
Arvin Antonio
Ortiz, Legal
Writing Plain
Reminders on English Grammar and and Simple: A
Composition Practical Guide
• Parts of Speech for Law Students
Lecture and Beginning
• Subject-Verb Agreement
Week 3 Discussion Lawyers (2021).
• Proper Usage of Articles
Feb 6- (pp 22-61)
11, 2023 • Writing Stages Exercise #2:
• Overcoming Writer’s Block Case Digests In the Matter of
• Often Asked English Usage the Charges of
Questions Plagiarism
Against J. Del
How to Write Case Digests Castillo, A.M.
No. 10-7-17-SC,
February 8, 2011
Arvin Antonio
Fundamentals of Legal Writing Lecture Ortiz, Legal
• Introduction to Legal Writing Discussion Writing Plain
Week 4 • Types of Legal Writing and Simple: A
Feb 13 – • Signposts for Prewriting Exercise #3: Practical Guide
18, 2023 • Case Briefing Writing Down for Law Students
• Citation Facts and Issue and Beginning
• Plagiarism and How to Avoid it Spotting Lawyers (2021).
(pp 62-87)
Cardinal Rules of Legal Writing Arvin Antonio
• Be Clear and Concise Lecture
Ortiz, Legal
Week 5 Discussion
• Be Literate Writing Plain
Feb 20 –
• Be Accurate and Simple: A
25, 2023 Exercise #4:
• Be Wary of Legalese Practical Guide
Demand Letter
• Be Polite for Law Students
and Beginning
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Lawyers (2021).
(pp 102-121)
Arvin Antonio
Writing for the Bar Examinations Ortiz, Legal
Lecture
• Bar Exam: What It Is and What It’s Writing Plain
Week 6 Discussion
Not? and Simple: A
Feb 27 –
• Characteristics of a Good Bar Exam Practical Guide
Mar 4, Exercise #5:
Answer for Law Students
2023 Answering Bar
• Answering Bar Exam Questions and Beginning
Exam Questions
• Guidepost for Passing the Bar Lawyers (2021).
Exam (pp 154-177)
Arvin Antonio
Ortiz, Legal
Term
Term Requirements: Writing Plain
Requirement #1:
Week 7 and Simple: A
• Legal Opinion Letter Legal Opinion
Mar 6 – Practical Guide
• Inter-Office Memorandum Letter, Inter-Office
11, 2023 for Law Students
• Brief Memorandum,
and Beginning
Brief
Lawyers (2021).
(pp 122-153)
Week 8
Mar 13
– 18,
2023
MIDTERM EXAMINATION
Week 9
Mar 20
– 26,
2023
LEGAL RESEARCH
Introduction
Government Structure
• Pre-Spanish (before 1521) Lecture
• Spanish Period (1521-1898) Milagros Santos-
Discussion
• American Period (1898-1946) Ong, Legal
Week 10
Research and
Mar 27 • Japanese Period (1941-1944) Exercise #6:
Citations of the
– Apr 1, • Republic Period (1946-1972) Make a Directory
Philippines
2023 • Martial Law Period (1972-1986) of Key
(2018). (pp 2-62)
• Republic Revival (1986-present) Government
Officials
Three Co-equal Branches of Government
• Executive Branch
• Legislative Branch
• Judiciary
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Constitutional Commissions
• Civil Service Commission
• Commission on Elections
• Commission on Audit
Local Governments
Other Government Agencies
• Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
• Commission on Appointments
• Commission on Human Rights
• Office of the Ombudsman
Week 11
Apr 3 – HOLY WEEK
8, 2023
Legal System
• Nature of Philippine Legal System Lecture Milagros Santos-
Discussion Ong, Legal
• Sources of Law
Week 12 Research and
• Classification of Legal Sources
Apr 10 – Exercise #7: Citations of the
15, 2023 Survey of Latest Philippines
Philippine Legal Research
Statutes from 2016 (2018). (pp 63-
• Research of Statute Law - present 99)
• Research of Case Law
Lecture
Legal Profession and Legal Education Discussion Milagros Santos-
• Legal Education Board (LEB) Ong, Legal
Week 13 Exercise #8: Research and
• Law Schools
Apr 17 – Survey of Citations of the
• Admission to the Bar
22, 2023 Landmark Philippines
• Bar Association and Institutions Supreme Court (2018). (pp 100-
• Law Librarians Associations Decisions by Area 119)
of Study
Lecture
Discussion
Milagros Santos-
Philippine Legal Citations Ong, Legal
Exercise #9:
Week 14 • Primary Sources by Authority Research and
Compile 10
Apr 24 – • Jurisprudence – Court Decisions Citations of the
Relevant Primary
29, 2023 • Citations Repeatedly Used Philippines
Sources and 10
• Bibliography (2018). (pp 120-
Relevant
131)
Secondary Sources
of Information
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Philippine Legal Resources
• Books, Electronic Published Legal Milagros Santos-
Materials Ong, Legal
Week 15 Research and
• Case Law/ Jurisprudence
May 1 – Lecture Citations of the
• Annotations/ Commentaries/
6, 2023 Discussion Philippines
Treatise, etc. by Subject
(2018). (pp 132-
• Philippine Electronic Sources 254)
• Philippine Legal Publishers
Term Requirements:
Week 16 • Directory of 1st Level Courts
May 8 – • Directory of 2nd Level Courts
13, 2023 • Directory of the Provincial
Prosecution Office Term Requirement #2:
• Directory of the City Prosecution Compendium of Legal Practice in the
Office Province of Nueva Ecija
Week 17 • Directory of Public Attorneys’
May 15 Office – Nueva Ecija
– 20,
2023 Other requirements will be provided by the
Professor
Week 18
May 22
– 27,
2023 FINAL EXAMINATION
Week 19
May 29
– June 3
COURSE REQUIREMENT AND GRADING SYSTEM
Attendance - 10%
Recitation - 15%
Quizzes/ Assignments (Exercises) - 15%
Term Requirements - 35%
Term Examinations - 25%
Total - 100%
COURSE POLICIES
A. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class. Students may take the allowable
number of absences accordingly. Exceeding the number of allowable absences will
automatically result in dropping the student from the class list.
B. For undone and not submitted exercises, the student will receive a grade of 65. Medical
certificates will be accepted to cancel the 65 grade only if the student himself/ herself is
confined in the hospital. No other certificates/ excuse letters will be accepted.
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C. All exercises must be uploaded in Canvas. Late submissions will be accepted but only
until one (1) week after the deadline, subtracting 10 points for every day late.
D. Hard copy submission of the compilation of all the exercises is also required and is to be
submitted on the day of the face-to-face examination.
E. Academic honesty: all work is expected to be the student’s own original work.
Submissions will pass through a plagiarism checker. Any form of plagiarism will merit a
grade of 65%, subject to the school’s disciplinary procedures.
F. The Professor strictly prohibits collaboration on assignments/ exercises unless explicitly
permitted. Students must acknowledge all collaborations and their extent in all submitted
work when collaboration is permitted.
REFERENCES:
Ortiz, Arvin Antonio, Legal Writing Plain, and Simple: A Practical Guide for Law Students and
Beginning Lawyers. (2021) Rex Bookstore.
Santos-Ong, Milagros, Legal Research and Citations of the Philippines. (2018) Rex Bookstore.
The Lawphil Project: Arellano Law Foundation. https://lawphil.net/
Chan Roble Virtual Library. https://lawlibrary.chanrobles.com/
Central Bookstore: The Supreme Court Reports Annotated Online. https://central.com.ph/escra/
Supreme Court E-Library – The Bookshelf. https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/
Prepared by:
ATTY. DARREN J. GONZALES
Professor
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