70113 Legal Process and History

10cp
Undergraduate and Postgraduate
Subject coordinator: K Gould

Students in this subject gain a sound working knowledge of the Australian legal and constitutional environment including the Western legal tradition, the place of common law in that system and the ramifications of living under a Westminster parliamentary system as well as a federal system. The skills of case analysis, statutory interpretation, legal problem solving and critical analysis – which are essential to the study and practice of the law – are also introduced in this subject.

Students begin their inquiry by considering what is law, who makes law, and how and why the law has developed in the way that it has. They then examine the institutions that make up our legal system – the legislature, the Crown and the executive, the courts and the 'legal players' (the judge, the jury and the legal practitioners) – and explore the principles and doctrines that underpin our legal system.

Against the background of this learning students then consider why our legal system is different from some of our regional neighbours and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the common law legal system.

Typical availability

Autumn semester, City campus
Spring semester, City campus

Fee information

2007 contribution for post-2004 Commonwealth-supported students: $1,736.04
2007 amount for undergraduate domestic fee-paying students: $4,120.00
Subject EFTSL: 0.208
Note: The above fees are applicable in 2007 for Commonwealth-supported students who commenced after 2004 and domestic fee-paying undergraduate students only. Pre-2005 Commonwealth-supported students should consult the Student contribution charges for Commonwealth supported students webpage.
Not all students are eligible for Commonwealth supported places, and not all subjects are available to Commonwealth supported students. Domestic fee-paying students and international students should refer to the Fees webpage.

Access conditions

Note: The requisite information presented in this subject description covers only academic requisites. Full details of all enforced rules, covering both academic and admission requisites, are available at Access conditions and My Student Admin.