Stage 1 Legal Studies
LENGTH OF COURSE: Semester Only
ASSUMED BACKGROUND: Successful completion of Year 10 English and HASS or 10 HASS Elective
CURRICULUM CHARGES: Nil
CONTENT:
Course content will be a selection of the following:
A Law & Communities:
Students will investigate how law effects local and national communities. They study the power, influence, and perspectives of those who have constructed Australia’s laws and make judgments on the needs of communities. Students will respond to a case study.
Law-making:
Students will study the law-making process and influence of democracy, societal attitudes and change. This will focus on Parliament and Judge-made law, reviewing significant court cases and protests for topical issues. Students will pick one legal issue of personal interest to research further.
Justice & Society:
This topic investigates the Australian Justice System, focusing on the civil and criminal systems. We will identify civil wrongdoings and categories of crimes, reviewing whether Australia serves “justice” to the people. An excursion to the Adelaide Courts will allow students to see our Justice System up close, inspiring a mock trial presentation.
ASSESSMENT TYPES
Analytical response:
Open-book test on Law and Communities. Students will be required to analyse a legal scenario with the respect to the sources and purpose of the law, factors that influence legal changes, how the law balances competing tensions and if they achieve a just outcome.
Inquiry:
An inquiry into a recent legal issue in Australia. Students will choose a topic of interest and research the opposing viewpoints on the issue.
Presentation:
In groups, students present a ‘mock trial’ on a real or imagined Australian civil or criminal case. In doing so, they will present the roles of the judge, jury, accused, victim, witness, prosecution/defence lawyer and/or plaintiff.
