Evidence Law

A new section of each course starts monthly. 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.

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 lessons are released. You will have access to all lessons until the course ends. However, the interactive discussion area that accompanies each lesson will automatically close two weeks after the lesson is released. As such, we strongly recommend that you complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.

The final exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the final exam has been released, you will have two weeks to complete all of your course work, including the final exam.

Lesson 1
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.

Lesson 2
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.

Lesson 3
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.

Lesson 4
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.

Lesson 5
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.

Lesson 6
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.

Lesson 7
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.

Lesson 8
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.

Lesson 9
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.

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.

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.

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.