Seventh Annual People's Law School to Offer Several New Courses
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Feb. 18 Baylor Law School event aims to make law 'user-friendly,' educate citizens about legal rights
The People's Law School at Baylor University Law School will return for a seventh year on Saturday, Feb. 18, with several new courses available. Hosted by Baylor Law School, the one-day, free event is designed to make the law user-friendly and to educate members of the community about their legal rights. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. with courses running from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
New courses added this year are the Health Care Reform Act, Home Owners' Associations, the McDonald's Hot Coffee Case, Privacy, and Social Security Disability Law. Perennial favorites, such as Wills and Estate Planning, Elder Law and Introduction to the Constitution, also will be available.
The courses are taught by volunteer attorneys and legal experts. Participants can register for three courses, which will last approximately an hour each.
The People's Law School will be held at the Sheila and Walter Umphrey Law Center, 1114 S. University Parks Dr., on the north side of Baylor's campus in Waco. To register and for more information, visit www.baylor.edu/law and select the People's Law School link or call Baylor Law School at (254) 710-1911.
The courses for this year include:
Debt Collectors and the Law
What rights do debtors have? What is permissible for debt collectors and what crosses the line into a violation? Participants in this course will learn how the law protects consumers from over-zealous debt collectors.
E-Commerce
Almost everybody buys or sells goods on-line. What rights and obligations does one have as a buyer or seller of on-line goods? Learn more about it in this course.
Elder Law
This course provides an overview of issues important to senior citizens and those who care about them, including a review of consumer scams against the elderly and long term care planning, including Medicaid eligibility.
Family Law I
The instructor of this course will provide a brief overview of divorce, protective orders, and related issues.
Family Law II
In this course, participants will learn about the law regarding child custody and visitation duties and rights, child support, and grandparent's rights.
Finding the Law
This is the course for people who wish to know how to use the library and the internet to find cases, statutes, and other law-related items.
The Health Care Reform Act
Everyone is talking about the new Health Care Reform Act, but what exactly does it do? How does it change the way the health care system currently works? How does it affect consumers and what's the impact on small businesses? This course is designed to provide attendees a basic understanding of the health care reform.
Home Owners' Associations
Can an HOA really foreclose against an owner who fails to pay his assessment? Can the HOA force an owner to plant trees? This course will provide an overview of state law as it applies to deed restrictions and the Home Owners' Associations that enforce them.
Introduction to the Constitution
Students in this course will get a basic overview of some of the more frequently discussed provisions of the United States Constitution, with a particular focus on the Bill of Rights.
Landlord/Tenant
This course will provide valuable information for both landlords and tenants on the Fair Housing Act; security deposits; the landlord's responsibility for repairs; and eviction.
Law School: How to Get In
Whether you are currently in college or contemplating a second career, this course will provide you the information you need if you are considering applying to Baylor or another law school.
The McDonald's Hot Coffee Case: A Look at Tort Reform
Students in this course will learn the full story of the case in which McDonald's was sued because its coffee was too hot as they review issues related to tort reform.
Privacy
Privacy law becomes more complex each year given the internet, smart phones, and other technology. This course will provide a brief overview of an individual's right to be left alone.
Social Security Disability Law
Understanding the social security disability law and process is no easy matter. This course is designed to provide basic information about eligibility for benefits, disability determination, the appeal process, and other important questions.
Small Business Law
This course provides information for the small business owner, including the difference between sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations and tips to avoid legal pitfalls.
Veteran's Rights
Attendees to this course will gain a better understanding of veteran's rights and benefits and working with the Veteran's Administration.
Wills and Estate Planning
Everyone should have a will. Students will learn about the requirements of a valid will and basic estate planning considerations.
About Baylor
Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions.
About Baylor Law School
Established in 1849, Baylor Law School was the first law school in Texas and one of the first west of the Mississippi River. Today, the school has more than 7,000 living alumni. It is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Baylor Law School has a record of producing outstanding lawyers, many of whom decide on a career in public service. The Law School boasts two Texas governors, members or former members of the U.S. Congress and U.S. Senate, two former directors of the FBI, ambassadors, federal judges, justices of the Texas Supreme Court and members of the Texas Legislature among its notable alumni. In its law specialties rankings, U.S.News & World Report ranked Baylor Law's trial advocacy program as the third best in the nation. Baylor Law School is ranked No. 56 in the magazine's 2012 edition of "America's Best Graduate Schools."
Media contact: Lori Fogleman, director of media communications, (254) 710-6275