Legal Research Ay 2020 - 2021 Atty. Ferdinand S. Nicolas Class Policies and Course Outline Description of The Course

LEGAL RESEARCH AY 2020 - 2021 ATTY. FERDINAND S.
NICOLAS
Class Policies and Course Outline

Description of the Course
Legal Research is a basic course in the Juris Doctor program involving the basic skills that are utilized by
students studying law as well as personnel and practitioners in the legal profession. Through this
course, students will learn how to search for pertinent laws and jurisprudence necessary in legal
investigations they will conduct in all the different areas of law. This will involve the use of the different
law books but, more so, the electronic legal resources that has become the main medium in conducting
legal research.
In order to facilitate the understanding of Legal Research in the Philippines, a cursory knowledge of
the Philippine Legal System is necessary. This will involve a brief revisiting of Philippine legal history
and tradition and an abbreviated discussion of the legal institutions that play a part in the creation
and interpretation of Philippine law.
Textbook
No textbook is prescribed for the course. However, a reference book will be used as a guide for part
of the course.
Reference Book: A Guide to Philippine Legal Information, Antonio M. Santos, U.P. College of Law, 2013
Classes
In light of the ongoing pandemic, classes will generally be conducted online unless otherwise
announced. For this term Google Classroom shall be used. All students shall be required to log on to
the Google Classroom for this purpose.
Attendance will only be taken during synchronous online activities and face-to-face classes. During
these sessions, students are expected to dress appropriately. Men are required to wear collared shirts.
Women are to wear smart casual attire. Revealing or distracting attire shall be avoided.
During synchronous online activities and face-to-face classes, students are expected to mute their
microphones unless called upon to speak. The surrounding background should also be managed to
avoid disruptions in class.
Students are expected to be prepared when attending classes and to conduct themselves
professionally when engaging in discussions whether verbally or in writing. Respect and courtesy shall
be the norm in all engagements in and outside of class.
Grading
Class standing will be comprised of the following:

∙ Quizzes
∙ Assignments
∙ Participation in Online Discussions
∙ Recitation/Reports
In place of examinations, research papers shall be required for each period (Preliminary, Midterms
and Finals).
The Final Grade shall comprise of 50% average Class Standing and 50% average grade in the
Research Papers.
Intellectual Integrity
In light of the mode of delivery of instruction, all students shall be required to take the following pledge:
I, (insert name), as a student of Northwestern University, College of Law, hereby

pledge that:
1. All the work I will submit in fulfillment of the requirements of this course shall be from
my own personal efforts and I shall not submit the work of others in place of my own; 2. I
will avoid all instances of plagiarism or any intellectual dishonesty and shall ensure that I
will cite the sources of any quoted text in my work;
3. I understand that should I violate any of the following undertakings, I shall be subject to the
disciplinary processes of Northwestern University, which may involve the imposition of
academic and disciplinary sanctions, including suspension, exclusion and expulsion.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereby affix my signature below this ____ day of

September 2020 at ________________.
Students are expected to abide by this pledge and are required to post their duly executed pledge in
a discussion board to be created.
Course Outline
I. Introduction
A. Definition of Legal Research
B. Purpose
C. Practitioners
II. Philippine Legal History
A. Pre-Colonial Legal System

B. Spanish Legal System
C. American Legal System
D. Japanese Period
E. Philippine Republic
III. Philippine Legal Tradition
A. Civil Law
B. Common Law
C. Mixed Tradition
D. Philippine Legal Tradition
IV. Sources of Philippine Law and Legal Institutions

A. Sources of Law
B. Government Structure
1. Executive Branch
2. Legislative Branch
3. Judicial Branch
V. Other Philippine Legal Institutions

A. Local Government Units
B. Autonomous and Administrative Regions
C. Administrative Agencies
VI. Statutory Law

A. Concept, Scope and Classification
B. Statutory Law – Proper
1. Constitutions
2. Treaties and International Agreements
3. Statutes Proper
4. Presidential Issuances
5. Administrative Rules and Regulations
6. Charters of LGUs
7. Legislation of LGUs
8. Rules of Court/Tribunals
9. Legislative Rules
C. Citation of Statutory Law
1. Primary and Secondary Sources
VII. Case Law

A. Concept, Scope and Classification
B. Parts of a Decision
C. The Philippine Court System
D. Case Law Materials/Publication
E. Citation of Case Law
1. Primary and Secondar Sources
VIII. Search Books and Law Finders

A. Definition
B. Legal Textbooks and Commentaries
1. Primary and Secondary Authorities
C. Law Encyclopedia
D. Law Dictionaries
E. Legal Digests and Indices
F. Legal Periodicals
G. Citators
IX. Electronic Resources

A. Websites
1. Philippine Websites
a. Official Websites
b. Private Websites
2. International Resources
B. Applications

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LEGAL RESEARCH AY 2020 - 2021 ATTY. FERDINAND S.

Class Policies and Course Outline

Class standing will be comprised of the following:

I, (insert name), as a student of Northwestern University, College of Law, hereby

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereby affix my signature below this ____ day of

II. Philippine Legal History

A. Pre-Colonial Legal System

IV. Sources of Philippine Law and Legal Institutions

V. Other Philippine Legal Institutions

VI. Statutory Law

VII. Case Law

VIII. Search Books and Law Finders

IX. Electronic Resources

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