LC3S232 - Law on Trial 01 Sep 2016 - 31 Aug 2025 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: LC3S232
Module Title: Law on Trial
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Law
Faculty Sub Group: Law
Module Leader: Clare Lewis
Module Team:
First Intended Intake: SEP 2015 Final Year of Intake:
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 6
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100691 - jurisprudence
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 01 Sep 2016
Valid To 31 Aug 2025

Module Aims

To enable students to develop:

  1. a critical understanding of law, the legal system and its methods in the context of society's competing values, influences and political pressures.
  2. An understanding of the impact of unequal distribution of power and wealth and the influence of other [perceived] inequalities on the processes of law creation and adjudication.
  3. A critical understanding of the role of key personnel within the legal system and the operation of the civil and criminal justice systems.
  4. An understanding of critical legal theories and perspectives
  5. An ability to apply critical theory to contemporary case studies.

Content Summary

The module provides a wide-ranging critical examination of the structures, personnel, methods and laws of the English Legal System and other legal systems.

  • Students will consider some of the main theories underlying the study of law. These theories will serve as tools of analysis enabling students to examine aspects of the ELS and other legal systems from a more critical perspective.
  • Students will consider the importance of the rule of law from a domestic and an international perspective.
  • Students will examine the role of human rights within the ELS.
  • Students will be encouraged to develop a critical perspective on the law making processes.
  • Students will examine the operation of the criminal justice system and the civil justice system through a number of case studies.
  • Students will consider the law’s attempts to deal with differences and discrimination in society and to evaluate how effective these have been.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 24
Tutorial 24
Independent Study 80
Directed Study 72
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Critically evaluate the role of law, legal institutions, methods or personnel in contemporary society 
LO2 Demonstrate a critical and detailed understanding of different theoretical legal perspectives 
LO3 Display competence in a range of generic and legal skills

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Portfolio Portfolio 1 Journal Portfolio 0 6000 100 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2 LO3
Portfolio 1 ✔ ✔ ✔

Reading List

Please note: THERE IS NO PRESCRIBED TEXTBOOK for this module. Readings will be

suggested and made available where possible in an electronic format on BB.

Here is a list of books that will be helpful;

G. Slapper and D. Kelly, The English Legal System, 11th Edition, 2010-2011, Routledge

G. Slapper, How the Law Works, 2nd Edition, 2011, Routledge.

M. Partington, An Introduction to the English Legal System, 2010-2011, OUP

P. Harris, An Introduction to Law, 7th Edition, 2007, Butterworths

M.Travers, Understanding Law and Society, 2010, Routledge

S. Vago, Law and Society,9th Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall

C. Stychin, and L.Mulcahy, Legal Methods and Systems, 2007, Sweet & Maxwell

B. Meteyard, A.Thomson, & W. A. Mansell, A Critical Introduction to Law, 3RD Edition, 2008,

Cavendish

R. Chisholm, & G. Nettheim, Understanding Law, 2007, Butterworths.

M. Zander, The Law Making Process, (6th Edition) Cambridge 2004.

J. Waldron, The Law, 1990, Routledge

P.A Thomas, Discriminating Lawyers, 2000, Cavendish

T. Honore, About Law: An Introduction, 2000, Clarendon Press

L. Friedman, Law and Society: An Introduction, 1977, Prentice Hall

Websites

www.homeoffice.gov.uk (Home Office circulars, press releases, consultation papers, research publications)www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk (Parliament on line)www.hmso.gov.uk/acts.htm (Acts of Parliament and Statutory Instruments)

Please note that it is essential that for both the required and recommended reading, the most recent edition of the relevant book is used.