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On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of common law and legal precedent within UK Law, in distinction from civil code systems.
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the historical background to common law.
Demonstrate an understanding of the relation between written law, legal precedent and the interpretation of individual cases.
Relate precedent to UK Law to concepts of corporate personality and intentions.
This module introduces students to the system of common law and the practice of precedent.
Significant or striking cases are used to stimulate student interest. In seminars students will work in groups to engage with selected case reports and to locate additional case reports through standard reference resources (such as The Times; the Main Reports series; Law journals; and LexisLibrary). Guidance will be provided on understanding citations (names of parties, and report reference), legal terminology, and understanding the layout of the reports, and the legal details contained in the reports (texts of judgments, including statements of facts and judicial reasoning made by judges).
Seminars:
Contact Hours: 60
Intended Group Size Cohort
Guided independent study
Hours: 240
Further details relating to assessment
Presentation: The presentation is based around given topics in the history and nature of common law and the nature of legal precedent. Students are expected to clarify the distinction between common law legal systems and those based upon civil codes.
Report: The report will analyse a given judgment in terms of its understanding of legal precedent: how the judgement was determined and how it binds subsequent judgements.
001 Presentation; 10mins; end of semester 1
%
002 Report; 2,000 words; end of semester 2 %
Module Coordinator - Nathan Uglow
Level - 0
Credit Value - 30
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 3YL