Legal Transcription

Legal Transcriptionist

480 Hours/12 Months/Instructor Supported

Course Overview:

Legal transcription has come into the public view recently being recognized for its efficient and professional influence on legal records and is steadily becoming a popular trend in the legal field. Legal Transcriptionists use verbatim methods to store, recover, and record legal information, and pre-trail and trial proceedings. They use prerecorded information, and written material to compile reports. Legal transcriptionists transcribe material that has been dictated or recorded in courtrooms, closed hearings, law offices, or through personal interviews. They accurately document all testimony, pleadings, interrogations, meeting minutes, and hearings.

Become engaged in the study of the law and what it means to you. This course discusses how various aspects of the law affect the individual, filling a void for those looking to learn about many of the personal law issues that confront people in their everyday lives.

Our Understanding the Law course uses hypothetical and real examples to illustrate important points of the law and to inspire insight. This course also incorporates extensive coverage of ethical issues and the law. Students will learn about international and comparative law in order to give the student essential knowledge for today's global marketplace.

The Legal Transcriptionist program includes 2 courses:

Understanding the Law
Legal Transcription

Course Outline:

Understanding the Law

Understanding the Law Module 1
Introduction to the Law

The English Source of U.S. Law
Modern Sources of U.S. Law
Types & Classifications of Law
The Relationship Between Law & Ethics
Using Court Cases
Constitutional Law
Judicial Review
Separation of Powers
The National Government
What is Federalism?
The Police Power
The Bill of Rights
Freedom of Speech & Religion
Unreasonable Searches
Due Process of Law
Affirmative Action
The Right to Privacy

Understanding the Law Module 2
The Court System & The Attorney

What is Trial Court?
Appellate Court
Understanding Jurisdiction
The State Court System
The Federal Court System
Trial Proceedings
The Adversarial System
Attorneys-at-Law
Professional Ethics
Hire & Fire an Attorney
Legal Malpractice
Unauthorized Practice of Law
Alternative Dispute Resolution

Understanding the Law Module 3
Administrative Law & Crimes

What is Administrative Law?
History of U.S. Administrative Law
Administrative Agencies
Areas of Administrative Law
Agency Power, Process, & Action
Limits of Agency Power
What is a Crime?
Parties to a Crime
Corpus Delicti
Felony, Misdemeanor, or Infraction
Crimes Against the Person
Crimes Against Property
Defenses to Crimes
Statute of Limitations
Procedures in a Criminal Trial
Parole, Probation, & Clemency

Understanding the Law Module 4
Torts & Contracts

What are Torts?
Torts by Intentional Conduct
Torts by Negligent Behavior
Strict Liability Torts
Damages & the Collection of Damages
Contracts: Enforceable Agreements
How are Contracts Classified?
Requisites of a Valid Contract
Third Parties in Contracts
Discharged Contracts
Breach of Contract
Individual Consumer Contracts
Warranty Protection

Understanding the Law Module 5
Application of Law to the Individual

Family Law
Marriage Laws
Legal Consequences of Marriage
Laws Governing Parenthood
Protection of Minors
Termination of Marriage
Family Law Contracts
Motor Vehicle Law
Owning a Motor Vehicle
Driving a Motor Vehicle
Purchasing Automobile Insurance
Acquiring Ownership of Personal Property
Will or Inheritance
Mislaid, Lost, & Abandoned Property

Understanding the Law Module 6
Renters, Landlords & Home Ownership

Types of Leases
Landlord-Tenant Relationship
Legal Remedies for Landlords
Legal Remedies for Tenants
Characteristics of Home Ownership
Dealing with Real Estate Agents
Offer to Purchase a Home
Financing the Purchase of a Home
What is Escrow?
Title Insurance
Role of Attorney in Home Transactions
Home Taxes
Home Insurance
Neighbor Laws

Understanding the Law Module 7
Employer/Employee Law & Estate Planning

Employee & Employer Rights and Duties
Classification of Employees
Laws Against Discrimination
The Basic Duties of Employees
Common Benefits of Employees
Rights Regarding Unions
Arbitration of Employment Disputes
What is Estate Planning?
Tax Burdens Reduced or Avoided
Matters Concerning Wills
Matters Concerning Probate
Living Wills & Advance Directives
Matters Concerning Trusts
Different Types of Trusts
Ways to Avoid Probate
Conservatorship & Guardianship

Legal Transcription

Legal Transcription Module 1
Typing Practice & Improvement

Pre-Test Your Typing Ability
Finger Positioning Exercises
Typing Practice Games
Typing Progress Tracking
Improve Your Typing Skills
Increase Your Typing Speed

Legal Transcription Module 2
Civil Litigation Transcription

Initiating a Lawsuit
Summons, Caption & Complaint
Answering a Lawsuit
Calculating Time
Keeping a Tickler System
Motion to Dismiss
Answer, Counterclaim, & Cross-Complaint
Discovery / Judgment
Interrogatories
Request for Admissions
Preparing Correspondence

Legal Transcription Module 3
Probate Practice Transcription

Last Will & Testament
Self-Proving Affidavit
Living Will
Durable Power of Attorney
Probate Procedure
Representative's Oath
Notification of Heirs
Notice to Creditors
Tax Reports
Guardianships
Conservatorships
Name Changes

Legal Transcription Module 4
Family Law Transcription

Termination of Marriage
Grounds for Divorce
Types of Divorces
Complaint or Petition
Final Decree
Marital Dissolution Agreement
Adoptions and Paternity
Petition for Adoption
Adoption Decrees
Types of Adoption
Motion & Order for a Blood Test
Order of Paternity & Support

Legal Transcription Module 5
Legal Instruments Transcription

Contract & Leases
Partnership Agreements
Corporations and Limited Liability Companies
Reservation of a Corporate Name
Articles of Incorporation
Bylaws & Minutes of First Meetings
Stock Certificates
Application for Employer Identification Number
Real Estate
Warranty Deed
Deed of Trust
Real Estate Closing
Quitclaim Deed

Legal Transcription Module 6
Bankruptcy & Appellate Procedure Transcription

Bankruptcy
Voluntary Petition
Chapter 7
Summary of Schedules
Typing Citations
Citing Primary & Secondary Materials
Citing & Formatting Quotations
Preparing an Appellate Brief
Rules of Appellate Procedure
Part of a Brief

Materials Included:

Understanding the Law by Donald L. Carper & John A. McKinsey
Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 18 Software
Legal Transcription (with CD-ROMs) by Linda R. Lyle and G. Howard Doty
Digital Transcription Equipment: Headset, Foot Pedal and Software

Certification:

Upon successful completion of our Legal Transcription course, students will be prepared for an entry-level position as a Legal Transcriptionist and will be prepared, in part, for the AAERT national certification exam to become a Certified Electronic Transcriber (CET).

System Requirements:

Internet Access

Broadband or high-speed internet access is required. Broadband includes DSL, cable, and wireless connections.
Dial-Up internet connections will result in a diminished online experience. Moodle pages may load slowly and viewing large audio and video files may not be possible.

Hardware

Windows hardware configurations and processors are acceptable.
Mac computers MUST have Microsoft Window Operating Systems over Bootcamp (Bootcamp is a free download from Apple's website).
1 GB RAM recommended
Software
Operating Systems
Windows XP or Vista and Mac OS X 10 and higher with Windows
Web Browsers
Google Chrome
Safari, Internet Explorer & FireFox are not currently recommended as they cannot display certain Moodle editing menus for both students and instructors
Adobe PDF Reader
Media Plug-ins (These may be required depending on your course media-click on the links below to download the latest versions)
Adobe Flash Player
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Apple Quicktime
Windows Media Player
Real Player
PowerPoint Viewer (use this if you don't have PowerPoint)

Legal Transcription