PRELIMINARY LEGAL STUDIES: Syllabus Notes

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Notes based on the full preliminary legal studies syllabus
Aaron Vorn
Flashcards by Aaron Vorn, updated more than 1 year ago
Aaron Vorn
Created by Aaron Vorn over 6 years ago
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Resource summary

Question Answer
What is a value?? Standards or qualities considered desirable in society
What are rules? Regulations controlling conduct
What are customs? Collective habits or traditions developed in society
What are ethics? Standards directing the behaviour of a person
What are characteristics of 'just laws'? Fair and impartial treatment of everyone. Human rights are respected/recognised
What are the characteristics of the 'Nature of Justice'? All citizens have equal access to the law and that the law provides equality, fairness and justice.
What is 'Procedural Fairness'? Refers to the idea that there must be fairness in the processes that resolve disputes.
What are the 2 main principles of natural justice? 1. The right to be heard (fair hearing) 2. The right to have a decision made by an unbiased decision maker
What is 'Access'? Refers to the ability to obtain something. Everyone must have the same level of access to the institutions and agencies of the law
What is the rule of law? No one is above the law, including those who make the law
What do police do with the law? Enforce it
What do judges and legislators do with the law? Administer and interpret it
What do lawyers do with the law? Represent and advise people on the law
What is anarchy? Absence of laws/government
What is tyranny? Rule by a single leader holding absolute power in a state
What is the origin of common law? 1. Derived from British Legal system 2. Australian legal system brought over by the First Fleet
What are the 4 main courts in Australia? 1. Local 2. District 3. Supreme 4. High
What is parliament? A body of elected representatives
What is the role of parliament? Debates proposed legislation, passes or rejects it, and amends legislation
Apart from QLD and the territories, all state parliaments and the federal parliament are _________ What does this mean? Bicameral. This means they have two houses (Upper and Lower)
What is the role of the legislative process in statute law? To pass laws
Who introduces laws? The party that holds government
What is a proposed new law called? A bill
Before a bill passes and becomes federal law it must get approval from? Both houses of parliament and the Governor General
What is delegated legislation? Legislation made by non-parliamentary bodies
Who drafts, considers and passes delegated legislation? Subordinate bodies such as government departments or local councils
What is the division of powers? Separating power down the governmental chain: Federal, state and local
What is the separation of powers? What are the roles of each? Separation of power amongst the legislature (Makes law), the executive (Administers law) and the judiciary (Interprets and applies law)
How many chapters in the constitution? 8
What is Section 71 of the Constitution? Creates the High Court of Australia and allows the Commonwealth Parliament to create other courts.
What is Section 72 of the Constitution? Outlines how High Court judges are appointed.
What is domestic law? Law of the state
What is international law? A body of rules established by custom or treaty and recognised by nations
What does international law do? Maintains peace and security between states. Enables states to participate in trade.
What are the 5 main sources of international law? Customs, declarations, treaties, legal decisions and legal writings
What is state sovereignty? A state that has the authority to rule itself
What is a declaration? International instruments that state and clarify the parties position on particular issues
What is a treaty? Written international agreement
What are the two types of treaties and what is the difference? Bilateral - Between two nations Multilateral - Between many states
What are legal writings? Writings of respected international lawyers, judges and academics .
What is the chief organisation involved in international law? The UN
What are the main organs of the UN? The General Assembly and the Security council
Which main organ of the UN is more important? Why? The Security Council. They have the final say about security and peacekeeping activities
What is the primary judicial body of the UN? The International Court of Justice (ICJ)
What are intergovernmental organisations? Organised group of states that pursue mutual interests
What are non-government organisations? Associations based on common interests and aims. There is no connection to the government
What is public law? Law governing relationships between individuals and the state
What are the 3 main areas of public law? Criminal, Administrative and Constitutional
What is criminal law? Body of rules under which certain acts are punished by the state
What is administrative law? This law looks after the government powers and decisions of government organisations
What is constitutional law? This law focuses on the rules governing the executive, legislative and judicial functions of government
What is private law? Body of law governing relationships between individuals
Who is private law usually between? Persons, companies and organisations
What are the 3 major areas of private law? Contract, tort and property
What is a contract? An agreement between 2 or more parties that is recognised by the law
What is contract law? Concerned with the recognition of this agreement and the actions taken to enforce it.
What are torts? Civil wrongs
What is tort law? Situations in which someone has done something to interfere with the rights of someone else
What is property law? Law that governs relations involving things and interests that can be owned and that have a commercial value.
What system of trial decides legal outcomes in Australia? Adversarial
What are the two types of criminal hearings? Summary and trial by jury
What is a summary offence? Who hears these cases? Minor offences (e.g traffic offences). Heard by Magistrate or judge
What is an indictable offence? Who hears these cases? Serious criminal offences. Heard by Judge and jury
What is a civil law system? System that uses a set of rules that are applied and interpreted by judges.
What is a common law system? Developed by custom
What is law reform? Law reform is the process of examining existing laws, implementing changes in the legal system, with the aim of enhancing justice or efficiency.
What are the 3 main conditions that give rise to law reform? Social values, new concepts of justice, new technology
What are the 5 agencies involved in law reform? Law reform commission, Parliamentary committees, the media, NGO's and lobby groups
What is precedent? A judgement that is authority for a legal principle, and that provides guidance for deciding cases that have similar facts
What are the 4 mechanisms of law reform? Courts, Parliaments, the UN and intergovernmental organisations
How are courts a mechanism of law reform? They make law through precedent
How do we change the law? Through the passage of bills
What is the balance of power? the power held by the political party whose vote is needed to pass legislation
How does law reform take place through the UN? When Australia implements a treaty by passing domestic legislation that takes account of the international obligations
How do Intergovernmental Organisations contribute to international law reform? Through the promotion and development of multilateral and bilateral treaties
What are rights? Entitlements that people have by legal or moral authority
What are responsibilities? Legal or moral obligations that a person has to another person
What rights are humans entitled to? To do something or possess something as a result of being human
What are legal rights? Based on our constitution, statute law and common laws.
In our Constitution, what are expressed rights? Civil/political rights that are clearly outlined in the Constitution
In our Constitution, what are implied rights? Civil/political rights that can be inferred from the Constitution
What is another term for LEGAL responsibilities Obligations and/or duties
What is the idea of 'duty of care'? It is owed to all persons who are likely to be closely and directly affected by your behaviour.
What is meant by the term 'negligence'? Carelessness; a tort that involves breach of duty of care resulting in harm that could be foreseen
What is the interrelationship between rights and responsibilities? Where someone has a right, someone else has a corresponding responsibility
What are law enforcement agencies? List an example Bodies that have the role of enforcing the law. E.g. Police/Federal Police
What is the role of police? Uphold the law, preventing and investigating crime, and providing community protection
What is the role of the federal police? Enforcing federal and criminal law. Prevents and detects crime against Commonwealth law
What is an ADR? Dispute resolution process that does not involve courts.
List 3 ADRs and their roles Negotiation - Discussion between two or more parties Mediation/Conciliation - Neutral third party helps the parties negotiate Arbitration - Independent third party determines how the dispute is resolved
What are non-legal methods of resolving disputes between states? - Media - Members of parliament -Trade unions -Interest groups, NGOs
What are legal methods of resolving disputes between states? Internal reviews and external reviews (administrative, judicial, ombudsman, statutory bodies)
What is the issue for 'Law in Practice' Individual or groups in conflict with the state
What was Jock Palfreeman convicted for? Murder by Hooliganism
Who did Jock allegedly murder? Andrei Monov
Who did Jock allegedly wound Antoan Zahariev
Where did the incident with Jock Palfreeman occur? St Nedelya Square, Bulgaria
What was Jock sentenced? 20 years in prison
Which criteria are you going to incorporate into your essay? Resource efficiency, Protection of individual rights, has justice been achieved?
What are non-legal responses to the Jock Palfreeman case? Media, Public campaigns
What are legal responses to Jock Palfreeman's case? Discuss his sentence, trial, Bulgarian legal system
When did Jock's trial begin? May 21st 2008
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