Legal Method and Reasoning 733510
Subject Objectives
On completion of this subject, students should:
- understand and be able to describe the institutional structure of Australian government and its implications for the legal system
- understand and be able to engage in critical debate on the way in which common law reasoning operates, including an ability to:
- extract important features from judgments
- reconcile judgments
- evaluate the development of legal principles
- apply legal principles arising from case law to new situations
- understand and be able to engage in critical debate on the way in which significant statutory regimes operate, including an ability to:
- extract important features from statutes
- use, interpret and apply statutory provisions to new situations
- have acquired basic skills in legal analysis and problem-solving, on which subsequent subjects will build, including an ability to:
- identify and analyse legal issues arising in new fact situations
- demonstrate ways in which disputes can be resolved
- Have a sound and reliable grasp of fundamental legal research skills, including an ability to:
- find case law
- find legislation
- Have a grounding in legal writing skills, which them to:
- identify and articulate legal principles, concisely and accurately
- evaluate the significance and implications of legal rules and the issues to which they relate
- provide advice on legal issues
- have developed an enthusiasm for the study of law
- have acquired an attitude to legal education which accepts pre-reading, reflection and class discussion as essential to learning.
