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Unit of Study LAW10490 - Trials and Witnesses (2015)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Pre-requisites

    96 credit points in any SCU law units

  • Enrolment information

    N/A

Unit description

This unit examines many well known political and criminal trials, both from an historical and psychological perspective. Consideration of the technical aspects of the trial such as rules of evidence and skills of advocacy are covered and the adversarial nature of a court trial is explored to determine to what extent an advocate is an actor. Students will also evaluate the psychological impact of a trial on witnesses and juries.

Unit content

Topic 1. The trial in an historical context
Topic 2. Famous Trials
Topic 3. Blind Justice and the abolition of  the death penalty
Topic 4. Vulnerable defendants and witnesses
Topic 5. Psychology, trials and the law
Topic 6. Circumstantial and expert evidence
Topic 7. The Theme of Justice in Literature & Film

Availabilities

Not currently available in 2015

Learning outcomes and graduate attributes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
Learning outcome count Learning outcome description GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 Demonstrate and understanding of an historical and psychological perspective on trials, starting from the trial of Charles I to the trial of Bradley Murdoch
2 Analyse famous criminal and political trials and assess their broader impact on the community and the administration of justice
3 Explain the rules of evidence, in particular expert evidence and cross-examination
4 Demonstrate an understanding of the role of human psychology in the trial process
5 Describe and analyse the change in treatment of vulnerable defendants and witnesses in the trial process

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate and understanding of an historical and psychological perspective on trials, starting from the trial of Charles I to the trial of Bradley Murdoch
    • GA1:
  2. Analyse famous criminal and political trials and assess their broader impact on the community and the administration of justice
    • GA1:
  3. Explain the rules of evidence, in particular expert evidence and cross-examination
    • GA1:
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of the role of human psychology in the trial process
    • GA4:
  5. Describe and analyse the change in treatment of vulnerable defendants and witnesses in the trial process
    • GA4: