Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor Program Mission
Forming virtuous attorneys in the Christian legal tradition for the common good and love of neighbor.
Juris Doctor Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the JD program, graduates shall, at a minimum, possess competency by:
- Demonstrating knowledge and understanding of substantive and procedural law and the Christian legal tradition.
- Demonstrating competency in legal analysis and reasoning, legal research, and problem solving.
- Demonstrating competency in written communication in the diverse legal context.
- Demonstrating competency in oral communication in the diverse legal context.
- Articulating and applying proper professional and ethical responsibilities to clients and the legal system in formation as virtuous attorneys.
- Demonstrating professional skills needed for competent and ethical participation in the law profession culture proper to the common good and love of neighbor.
Degree Completion Standards
The JD degree is conferred upon students who have met the admission requirements for the degree and who have satisfactorily completed the prescribed program of 90 units of study within five years. Candidates for the JD degree must complete six units of practical skills courses. Courses that meet the practical skills requirement include LA 559, LA 560b, LA 560d/LA 560e, clinics, and practical skills electives. The course description indicates if the course meets the practical skills requirement. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above is required to maintain good standing and to earn the JD degree.
Candidates for the JD degree must complete their studies no earlier than 24 months and no later than 60 months after the student has commenced law study at Trinity Law School, or a school from which the law student has transferred units. A student who requires more than 60 months to complete the JD degree must file a petition with the Registrar's Office for authorization. Final responsibility for meeting degree requirements for graduation rests with each student.
Students wishing to complete the JD program in three years should maintain a unit load of 15 units per semester. Students wishing to complete the program on a part-time basis should maintain a unit load of 12 units per semester. Students may be able to reduce their semester unit load by enrolling in summer sessions. Both the full- and part-time degree plans must be completed in five years or less. The full-time program must include at least three consecutive academic terms within five years; the part-time program must include at least four consecutive academic terms within five years.
Students are required to take a minimum of 9 units each semester. Students wishing to enroll in more than 16 units or less than 9 units in a semester must submit a petition to the Registrar’s Office for approval.
In order to earn units for a course, students must complete not less than 80% of the VAE required in each course in which the student is enrolled. (See Attendance and Preparedness.)
The Academic Calendar consists of 15-week semesters – each fall and spring – with the option of taking additional courses during the summer session. Courses are typically offered in-person either during the day or in the evening as well as online in the evening to facilitate full- and part-time programs of study.
United States Department of Labor’s Standard Occupational Classification (SOC)
The JD program prepares graduates for occupations such as:
- Lawyers (SOC 23-1011.00)
- Judicial Law Clerks (SOC 23-1012.00)
- Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers (SOC 23-1021.00)
- Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators (SOC 23-1022.00)
- Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates (SOC 23-1023.00)
- Law Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1112.00)
Course Completion Sequence
Students are required to take courses in an order that will maximize their learning potential. Students must have completed or be concurrently enrolled in all courses in each category before they can take courses in the subsequent category.
Specialized academic plans will be created for those students in the Juris Doctor Flex Academic Support Classes who have joined the regular JD courses in their third- or fourth-semesters. These academic plans will follow the recommended course order as much as possible while optimizing a student's enrollment status, intended graduation date, completion of any Flex Third-Semester Courses (see Juris Doctor Flex Academic Support Classes), and the requirement to take LA 559 and then LA 560b during the first semester in which each course is offered.
Category 1 Courses
All students are required to take LA 559 during their first semester and LA 560b during their second semester. Students must complete or be concurrently enrolled in LA 560b before completing the rest of the law school curriculum. Students who are required to take these courses and who withdraw from or who are dropped from LA 559 or LA 560b will not be permitted to enroll in or continue other courses.
Category 2 Courses
- Contracts (LA 521, LA 521x, LA 522a, LA 522x)
- Torts (LA 541, LA 541x, LA 542, LA 542x)
- Criminal Law (LA 531a, LA 531x)
- Criminal Procedure (LA 783i, LA 783x)
Category 3 Courses
- Foundations of Law (LA 550, LA 550x)
- Business Associations (LA 702a)
- Civil Procedure (LA 673b, LA 674b)
- Property (LA 661, LA 662)
Category 4 Courses
- Professional Responsibility and Ethics (LA 613, LA 613x)
- Constitutional Law (LA 600i, LA 601i)
- Evidence (LA 671i, LA 672i)
- Community Property (LA 764)
- Jurisprudence (LA 790b)
- Wills, Trusts, and Estates (LA 803)
- Remedies (LA 822a)
- Legal Writing (LA 560d or LA 560e)
- Advanced Exam Approaches and Skills (LA 998e)
To avoid course conflicts, students should register for courses in the following order:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| LA 559 & LA 560b | Legal Research and Writing 1: Objective Writing and Legal Research and Writing 2: Persuasive Writing | 6 |
| LA 521 & LA 522a | Contracts 1 and Contracts 2 | 6 |
| LA 541 & LA 542 | Torts 1 and Torts 2 | 6 |
| LA 531a | Criminal Law | 3 |
| LA 783i | Criminal Procedure | 3 |
| LA 550 | Foundations of Law | 3 |
| LA 702a | Business Associations | 3 |
| LA 673b & LA 674b | Civil Procedure 1 and Civil Procedure 2 | 6 |
| LA 661 & LA 662 | Property 1 and Property 2 | 6 |
| LA 613 | Professional Responsibility and Ethics | 3 |
| LA 600i & LA 601i | Constitutional Law 1 and Constitutional Law 2 | 6 |
| LA 671i & LA 672i | Evidence 1 and Evidence 2 | 6 |
| LA 764 | Community Property | 2 |
| LA 790b | Jurisprudence | 3 |
| LA 803 | Wills, Trusts, and Estates | 3 |
| LA 822a | Remedies | 3 |
| LA 560d | Legal Writing: Litigation Skills | 3 |
| or LA 560e | Legal Writing: Transactional Skills | |
| LA 998e | Advanced Exam Approaches and Skills | 3 |
Taking courses in any order other than what is listed above may result in a course conflict which may delay graduation.
With the exception of LA 989 and LA 991a, students may take electives upon completion of or concurrent enrollment in 30 units. Not all elective courses are offered each year. Elective courses are rotated and offered depending on student interest and professor availability.
Juris Doctor Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| LA 521 | Contracts 1 | 3 |
| LA 522a | Contracts 2 | 3 |
| LA 531a | Criminal Law | 3 |
| LA 541 | Torts 1 | 3 |
| LA 542 | Torts 2 | 3 |
| LA 550 | Foundations of Law | 3 |
| LA 559 | Legal Research and Writing 1: Objective Writing 1 | 3 |
| LA 560b | Legal Research and Writing 2: Persuasive Writing 1 | 3 |
| LA 560d | Legal Writing: Litigation Skills 1 | 3 |
| or LA 560e | Legal Writing: Transactional Skills | |
| LA 600i | Constitutional Law 1 | 3 |
| LA 601i | Constitutional Law 2 | 3 |
| LA 613 | Professional Responsibility and Ethics | 3 |
| LA 661 | Property 1 | 3 |
| LA 662 | Property 2 | 3 |
| LA 671i | Evidence 1 | 3 |
| LA 672i | Evidence 2 | 3 |
| LA 673b | Civil Procedure 1 | 3 |
| LA 674b | Civil Procedure 2 | 3 |
| LA 702a | Business Associations | 3 |
| LA 764 | Community Property | 2 |
| LA 783i | Criminal Procedure | 3 |
| LA 790b | Jurisprudence | 3 |
| LA 803 | Wills, Trusts, and Estates | 3 |
| LA 822a | Remedies | 3 |
| LA 998e | Advanced Exam Approaches and Skills | 3 |
| Total Units | 74 | |
- 1
Course meets practical skills requirement. Students must complete a minimum of 6 units of practical skills courses toward the 90-unit graduation requirement.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Elective Courses (16 Units) | ||
| LA 523 | Contracts Drafting | 1 |
| LA 545 | Human Trafficking: Law and Policy (Cambodia) | 1-3 |
| LA 561 | Mastering Multiple-Choice Questions: Part 1 | 1 |
| LA 562 | Mastering Multiple-Choice Questions: Part 2 | 1 |
| LA 567 | Mastering the Performance Test | 1 |
| LA 572 | Victimology and Restorative Justice | 1 |
| LA 604 | Religious Freedom and Sports | 1 |
| LA 674d | E-Discovery | 1 |
| LA 675a | Alternative Dispute Resolution 1 | 3 |
| LA 753 | Trial Practice 1 | 3 |
| LA 763 | Family Law | 3 |
| LA 843 | Christian Legal Thought | 3 |
| LA 844 | Recent Books on Law | 3 |
| LA 845a | Pro Bono Reading Seminar | 1 |
| LA 870b | Civil Litigation Skills 1 | 3 |
| LA 872 | Advanced Legal Writing: Skills and Strategies | 2 |
| LA 891b | Juvenile Dependency | 3 |
| LA 901 | Introduction to International Human Rights | 3 |
| LA 910 | The Right to Life and the Law | 3 |
| LA 916a | Domestic Human Trafficking | 1 |
| LA 916b | International Human Trafficking | 1 |
| LA 922 | Public International Law | 3 |
| LA 929 | Children and the Law | 1 |
| LA 932 | International Human Rights Protection (Europe) | 6 |
| LA 935 | Law, Worldview, and Culture | 1 |
| LA 953 | Legal Externship 1,2,3 | 1-6 |
| LA 957a | Law Practice Management 1 | 3 |
| LA 958 | Law as a Vocation | 1 |
| LA 959g | Trinity Mediation Clinic 1,2 | 2 |
| LA 959i | Trinity Law Clinic 1,2 | 1 |
| LA 959j | Trinity Law Clinic 1, 2 | 2 |
| LA 959k | Trinity Mobile Legal Clinic 1,2 | 1 |
| LA 959n | Trinity Religious Liberty Clinic 1,2 | 1 |
| LA 959o | Trinity Religious Liberty Clinic 1, 2 | 2 |
| LA 959t | Trinity Mediation Clinic 1,2 | 3 |
| LA 959u | Trinity Religious Liberty Clinic 1,2 | 3 |
| LA 959v | Trinity Immigration Clinic 1,2 | 3 |
| LA 959w | Trinity Immigration Clinic 1, 2 | 1 |
| LA 959x | Trinity Immigration Clinic 1, 2 | 2 |
| LA 960 | Administrative Law | 3 |
| LA 962a | Intellectual Property | 3 |
| LA 962d | Intellectual Property | 1 |
| LA 968 | Legislation and Regulation | 2 |
| LA 970 | Independent Study/Guided Research 2,4 | 1-6 |
| LA 973 | From Brief to Bench: A Study of the Supreme Court's October Term | 1 |
| LA 974 | First Amendment Trends and Exam Analysis | 2 |
| LA 984c | Religion and the Law | 3 |
| LA 984d | Law, Religion, and Public Policy | 3 |
| LA 988a | Criminal Law and Psychology | 1 |
| LA 988b | Domestic Violence Law | 1 |
| LA 989 | Moot Court 1,2,5 | 1-2 |
| LA 991a | Law Review 1,2,5 | 1 |
| LA 993f | Fundamentals of Federal Taxation | 3 |
| LA 994b | Employment Law | 3 |
| LA 995f | Immigration Law | 3 |
| LA 995j | Adoption Law | 1 |
| LA 995nb | Negotiation for Law and Business 1 | 2-3 |
| LA 995np | Law of Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
| LA 999cr | 42 USC Section 1983: Civil Rights Violations | 1 |
| LA 999g | Civil Disobedience and the Christian Lawyer | 1 |
| LA 999i | Client Interviewing and Counseling 1 | 2 |
| LA 999p | Estate Planning | 1 |
| LA 999w | Workers' Compensation | 3 |
| Total Units | 16 | |
- 1
Course meets practical skills requirement. Students must complete a minimum of 6 units of practical skills courses toward the 90-unit graduation requirement.
- 2
This course is non-classroom. A maximum of 9 units of non-classroom units may be earned toward the 90-unit graduation requirement.
- 3
Of the nine units of non-classroom units that may be applied to the degree, a maximum of six units may be from LA 953. Students cannot take more than three units of LA 953 in any semester, excluding the summer session. Students cannot earn LA 953 units for doing work supervised by a close relative. Effective Fall 2026, students may earn compensation.
- 4
There is a six-unit maximum for LA 970.
- 5
There is a total four-unit maximum for LA 989 and LA 991a combined.
Juris Doctor Flex Academic Support Classes
Students who have not taken the LSAT or who do not meet the requirements for the regular JD program may be considered for admission into the Juris Doctor Flex Academic Support Classes (Flex Track). Students must complete one of the five paths below.
Flex Track students must enroll in and receive a passing grade in LA 521x, LA 531x, and LA 541x in the first semester, and LA 522x, LA 542x, and LA 599x in the second consecutive semester (Flex First-Year Courses). Five of the six Flex First-Year Courses are similar to the regular JD courses with the added benefit of a sixth course focused on improving students' legal analysis skills. The Flex Track courses also include academic support components designed to help students pass the FYLSX.
Students beginning in the fall semester may complete the Flex First-Year Courses either online or in the in-person evening format. Students beginning in the spring semester may only complete the Flex First-Year Courses online.
Eligible Flex Track students who do not otherwise fulfill Path 1 or Path 2 below have an option to attend a third semester of the Flex Track. If they choose to do so, students will enroll in and complete LA 550x, LA 613x, and LA 783x on the TLS-designated days and times for these courses (Flex Third-Semester Courses). The Flex Third-Semester Courses are only offered online.
Special Rules for Students Enrolled in JD Flex Academic Support Classes
For students enrolled in the JD Flex Academic Support Classes, an AW, UW, FW, or F in any one course will result in a UW for the remaining courses in progress and an administrative withdrawal from Trinity Law School.
The Five Paths
Path 1
The FYLSX will be waived for students who both:
- Submit an LSAT score of 145 or higher before the last day of the first-semester, and
- Earn a grade of “C” or higher in each of the first semester Flex First-Year Courses.
Path 2
The FYLSX will be waived for students who:
- Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.67 or higher at the end of the Flex First-Year Courses. (Based on the grading curve, approximately 15-20% of Flex Track students maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.67 or higher.)
Path 3
If Path 1 or Path 2 has not been achieved, the FYLSX is required.
- Take and pass the FYLSX after receiving passing grades in the Flex First-Year Courses.
Path 4
The FYLSX will be waived for students who both:
- Enroll in the Flex Third-Semester Courses, and
- Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.67 or higher at the completion of the Flex Third-Semester Courses.
Path 5
If Paths 1-4 have not been achieved, the FYLSX is required.
- Take and pass the FYLSX after receiving passing grades in the Flex Third-Semester Courses.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| LA 521x | Contracts 1 | 3 |
| LA 522x | Contracts 2 | 3 |
| LA 531x | Criminal Law | 3 |
| LA 541x | Torts 1 | 3 |
| LA 542x | Torts 2 | 3 |
| LA 550x | Foundations of Law | 3 |
| LA 599x | FYLSX Skills | 3 |
| LA 613x | Professional Responsibility and Ethics | 3 |
| LA 783x | Criminal Procedure | 3 |
| Total Units | 27 | |
Law Student Registration with the Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California
Students seeking admission to practice law in California must register with the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California within 90 days from the commencement of their law studies. Registration must be completed through the State Bar of California website.
State Bar Requirements for Admission to Practice Law
The State Bar of California regulates legal education in California. Each student has the responsibility to comply fully with the Rules Regulating Admission to Practice Law in California. Students are strongly advised to obtain a copy of the rules from the Office of Admissions of the State Bar of California.
Professional Responsibility Examination
All applicants for admission to practice law in California are required to pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) administered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. Trinity Law School recommends that students complete LA 613 or LA 613x, as applicable, prior to taking the MPRE. Students should consult the State Bar of California website for details regarding the MPRE.
Admission to Practice Law in California
Accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California, the JD program fulfills the requirements pertaining to admission to the practice of law in California. Graduates are qualified to take the California Bar Examination.
Admission to Practice Law Outside of California
Study at, or graduation from, this law school may not qualify a student to take the bar examination or be licensed to practice law in jurisdictions other than California. A student who intends to seek licensure to practice law outside of California at any time during their career should contact the admitting authority for information regarding its education and licensure requirements prior to enrolling at this law school.
Admission standards for each state are set forth in the American Bar Association’s Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements. This resource may be obtained at ncbex.org.
Petitions to the Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California
Petitions filed with the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California must be verified. Accordingly, students are requested either to appear before a notary public to have a petition sworn to, or in the alternative, to attach a declaration under penalty of perjury in the following form:
“I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing petition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Executed on this ____ day of _____________, 20____, at _________________(city), _____(state).
________________________________________"
Signature