1: Theories of Law.................................................................................................................................5 1.1 Theories of Law......................................................................................................................................5 1.1.1 Natural Law Theory.................................................................................................................5 1.1.2 Legal Positivism.......................................................................................................................6 1.1.3 Feminist Jurisprudence............................................................................................................7 1.1.4 Economic Analysis of the Law................................................................................................8 1.1.5 Critical Legal Theory...............................................................................................................8 2: Origins of Law....................................................................................................................................9 2.1 Development of Different Legal Systems.............................................................................................9 2.1.1 Civil Law System.....................................................................................................................9 2.1.2 Common Law System..............................................................................................................9 2.1.2.1 Magna Carta...........................................................................................................10 2.1.2.2 Supremacy of Parliament.......................................................................................10 3: The Australian Legal System..........................................................................................................11 3.1 Formation of the Australian Legal System........................................................................................11 3.1.1 Terra Nullius..........................................................................................................................11 3.2 Reception of English Law....................................................................................................................12 3.3 Creation of Australian Court Structure............................................................................................13 3.4 Evolution of Constitutional Government in Australia.....................................................................13 3.5 Federation Movement..........................................................................................................................15 3.6 Constitutions.........................................................................................................................................15 3.6.1 Division of Powers.................................................................................................................16 3.7 Principles of Australian Legal System...............................................................................................17 3.8 Law Makers..........................................................................................................................................17 3.9 Judges....................................................................................................................................................17 3.9.1 Judicial Independence............................................................................................................18 3.10 Victoria – Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities............................................................18 4: Law Systems and their Procedures........................................................................................19 4.1 Types of Law.........................................................................................................................................19 4.2 Common Law System vs. Civil Law System......................................................................................19 4.3 Equity....................................................................................................................................................19 4.4 World Legal Systems...........................................................................................................................20 4.5 Criminal Law vs. Civil Law................................................................................................................20 4.5.1 Criminal Procedure................................................................................................................20 4.5.2 Civil Procedure......................................................................................................................20 4.6 The Adversarial System.......................................................................................................................21 4.6.1 Arguments for and against the Adversarial System...............................................................21 4.7 ADRs.....................................................................................................................................................21 4.8 Lawyers – Origin and in Victoria.......................................................................................................21 4.8.1 Origin.....................................................................................................................................21 4.8.2 In Victoria..............................................................................................................................22 4.9 Legal Aid...............................................................................................................................................22 5: Case Law and Precedent.............................................................................................................23 5.1 Court Hierarchies................................................................................................................................23 5.1.1 Court Hierarchy – Victoria....................................................................................................23 5.1.2 Court Hierarchy – Federal.....................................................................................................24 5.2 Legal Precedents..................................................................................................................................25 5.2.1 Legal Reasoning.....................................................................................................................26 5.2.2 Reading and analysing cases..................................................................................................27 5.3 The Doctrine of Precedent...................................................................................................................27 5.3.1 Precedent – Relevant Terminology........................................................................................27 5.3.2 Precedent – Arguments For and Against...............................................................................28 5.3.3 Precedent – History and Development..................................................................................28 5.4 Ratio Dicidendi and Obiter Dictum...................................................................................................29 5.4.1 Application............................................................................................................................30 5.5 Precedent – Binding and Persuasive..................................................................................................31 5.5.1 Distinguishing Precedent.......................................................................................................31 5.5.2 Persuasiveness of Precedent..................................................................................................31 5.5.3 Persuasiveness of Precedent – English Court Hierarchy.......................................................32 5.5.4 Binding Precedent – Australian Court Hierarchies................................................................33 6: Precedent in Action – Negligence...........................................................................................35 7: Legislation and Statutory Interpretation...............................................................................48 7.1 The Legislative Process – How an Act of Parliament is Made.........................................................48 7.1.1 Definitions..............................................................................................................................48 7.1.2 The Power to Make Laws......................................................................................................48 7.1.3 From Bill to Act.....................................................................................................................49 7.1.4 Commencement Dates...........................................................................................................50 7.1.5 Types of Acts.........................................................................................................................51 7.1.6 Reading Acts..........................................................................................................................52