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Tort Law Specialist Certificate Program with Externship

Program includes National Certification & an Externship Opportunity

The Tort Law Specialist

Tort law seeks to remedy civil wrongs that result in harm to person or property. The parameters of tort law specify how we assign a duty of responsibility to certain actors, assess damages, and determine the distribution of burdens for the everyday risks of harm that exist in modern society, in business and in everyday life. Tort law and mass tort actions also serve as a deterrent to harmful activity that might otherwise go unchecked.

The Tort Law Specialist Program

For those students looking toward law school or who are interested in the paralegal profession, this program offers an incredibly useful and realistic look into the actual work that lawyers and legal professionals do every day. In this program, student will have the opportunity to weight these different viewpoints, analyzing the validity of court decisions and a variety of proposals for tort policy, including various aspects of tort reform that have been proposed. This program will offer students the chance to gain the knowledge necessary to execute the delicate balance the rights and responsibilities that enables tort law to address the crucial needs of our American culture.

This program presents the definitions of tort laws and describes how tort laws are applied to various situations and fact patterns. Specifically, the material will focus on basic concepts such as the intentional torts, negligence, strict liability, and products liability. Students will also explore the process of filing tort cases in court in terms of parties, pleadings, timing, and the appeals process.

Program Objectives

At the conclusion of this program, students will be able to:

  • Examine principles of tort law
  • Examine the rules of civil procedure
  • Explore the tort of negligence
  • Examine proof of negligence and defenses for actions of negligence
  • Examine intentional torts and defenses for intentional torts
  • Examine business-related torts
  • Examine privilege and immunity from tort liability
  • Examine the doctrine of nuisance
  • Examine strict liability
  • Examine product liability law
  • Examine vicarious liability law
  • Examine premises liability law
  • Examine ethical issues related to tort law
  • Use Microsoft Office

FOUNDATIONS OF TORT LAW AND OVERVIEW

  • Define common terms used in tort law
  • Discuss the purpose and history of tort law
  • Identify the sources of tort law
  • Describe the theory of compensation for tort victims.
  • Differentiate between the various categories of tort law
  • Identify the parties to a torts action

TORT LITIGATION I

  • Identify the parties to a torts action
  • Define common terms used in civil litigation
  • Identify alternative methods to resolve tort disputes (ADR)
  • Identify the requirements for commencement of civil proceedings and the pre-trial process
  • Locate an online civil complaint form
  • Draft a sample civil complaint
  • Describe service of process in civil litigation
  • Describe the types of discovery

TORT LITIGATION II

  • Describe the types of discovery
  • Outline the trial and appeal processes
  • Complete litigation chart as overview of potential case

NEGLIGENCE

  • Define terms associated with the tort of negligence
  • Identify the elements of negligence
  • Discuss the duty of reasonable care and the reasonable person standard as it pertains to tort law
  • Describe proximate and actual cause
  • Describe the types of damages awarded in tort cases
  • Analyze negligence issues in a case study

PROVING NEGLIGENCE

  • Distinguish between fact and opinion
  • Distinguish the standard of proof in a civil case from that in a criminal case
  • Distinguish between unavoidable acts and breach of care
  • Describe the degrees of negligence
  • Describe the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur
  • Profile joint tortfeasors' liability
  • Analyze a case to determine if a plaintiff has a cause of action for negligence
  • Research a case involving proof of negligence issues

DEFENSES TO NEGLIGENCE

  • Describe various forms of defenses for actions of negligence
  • Differentiate between comparative and contributory negligence
  • Describe assumption of risk
  • Analyze a fact pattern to determine the appropriate defense in an action of negligence
  • Review a case involving various forms of defenses for actions of negligence

INTENTIONAL TORTS

  • Define terms related to intentional torts
  • Distinguish between negligence and intentional torts
  • Describe the various forms of intentional torts
  • Analyze a fact pattern to identify all potential causes of action for intentional torts

DEFENSES TO INTENTIONAL TORTS

  • Describe the various defenses for intentional torts
  • Describe the discovery rule as it applies to various forms of intentional torts
  • Research cases involving various forms of defenses for actions of intentional torts
  • Analyze a fact pattern to identify defenses to intentional torts

MISREPRESENTATION AND BUSINESS RELATED TORTS

  • Define terms related to business-related torts
  • Describe the various forms of business-related torts and their impact on business
  • Determine how damages are determined in business-related torts
  • Analyze a case to identify potential causes of action for wrongful termination
  • Research a case involving wrongful termination

IMMUNITY AND PRIVILEGE

  • Define terms related to tort liability
  • Describe the doctrine of immunity
  • Describe the various forms of immunity
  • Analyze a case for privilege and immunity from tort liability

DOCTRINE OF NUISANCE

  • Define terms related to nuisance
  • Describe the doctrine of nuisance
  • Describe the interests and requirements for various forms of nuisance
  • Describe the remedies available for a nuisance action
  • Analyze a fact pattern for action in nuisance

STRICT LIABILITY

  • Describe the elements of strict liability
  • Describe the scope of strict liability under various circumstances
  • Describe available defenses against strict liability
  • Analyze a scenario for claims of strict liability
  • Research state policy on an issue of strict liability

PRODUCT LIABILITY

  • Identify the parties to a torts action
  • Define terms related to product liability
  • Describe the various theories of recovery in product liability actions
  • Describe how negligence is reflected in product liability and consumer protection laws
  • Describe the defenses available for a product liability action
  • Analyze a case for product liability issues
  • Identify ethical issues related to tort law
  • Analyze ethical issues related to tort law

VICARIOUS LIABILITY

  • Define terms related to vicarious liability
  • Describe the various forms of vicarious liability actions
  • Analyze a fact pattern for vicarious liability issues

PREMISES LIABILITY

  • Define terms related to premises liability
  • Describe the various premises liabilities of a landholder
  • Identify the potential parties to various premises liability actions
  • Analyze a fact pattern for landholder premises liability

Note: This program can be completed in 6 months. However, students will have online access to this program for a 24-month period.

Education and National Certifications

  • Students should have or be pursuing a high school diploma or GED.
  • There are no state approval and/or state requirements associated with this program.
  • There is a National Certification exam available to students who successfully complete this program:
    • Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification Exam

National Certification

Upon successful completion of this program, students would be eligible to sit for the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) exam. Although there are no state approval, state registration or other state requirements for this program, students who complete this program  will be prepared and are eligible to sit for this national certification exam. Students who complete this program are encouraged to complete the externship option with their program. Students who complete this program can and do sit for the MOS national certification exams and are qualified, eligible and prepared to do so. works with each student to complete the exam application and register the student to take their national certification exam.

Externship / Hands on Training / Practicum

Although not a requirement, once students complete the program, they have the ability to participate in an externship and/or hands on practicum so as to practice the skills necessary to perform the job requirements of a professional in this field. Students will be assisted with completing a resume and/or other requirements necessary to work in this field. All students who complete this program are eligible to participate in an externship and will be placed with a participating organization near their location. works with national organizations and has the ability to place students in externship opportunities nationwide.

Note: No refunds can be issued after the start date published in your Financial Award document.

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