This course introduces students to the history and operation of our legal system and the core legal skills necessary for successful study and practice. The course develops students’ understanding of the current structure and historical origins of the Australian legal system, as a dynamic system in the context of Australian society. Through a consideration of the relationships between the principal institutions of government under Australian Constitutions – parliaments, the executive and the courts – it introduces students to key values and constructs underpinning the Australian legal system, including the significance of the idea of the ‘rule of law’. The course explores the nature of the common law, with a particular emphasis on the circumstances of the adoption of the common law in the Australian states and its effect on Indigenous Australians, the processes by which cases are decided by judges, and theoretical frameworks that have been used to analyse law and legal decision making. The roles of judges, practising lawyers and other personnel in the court system are considered, with an emphasis on the need for the development of professional identities and resilience. The core skills of legal research and writing, case analysis and critique, with a focus on intentional torts, and the interpretation and application of statutes are developed throughout the course.

More information can be found on the Course Outline Website.