This is a course for anyone with an interest in learning about one of the oldest and most influential legal systems in the world. In order to understand the common law, we need to deal with its history, and the development of its characteristic institutions like the jury, judge made law, parliamentary sovereignty and due process. We also need to ask some critical questions. What role does democracy play in the development of the common law? To what extent are human rights central to the modern common law? How does the common law of England and Wales relate to the law of the European Union? Answering these questions will give us insights into the current challenges the law faces and its possible futures. There are social media pages for the course: Twitter http://bit.ly/eclawtwitter Facebook http://bit.ly/eclawfacebook Google plus http://bit.ly/eclawgoogleplus
Course Syllabus
Week One: Dead Kings and Presidents: A Brief History of the Common Law Week Two: See You In Court: The Court System and the Common Law Week Three: Supreme Power: Parliamentary Sovereignty and Law Making Week Four: Wigs and Pens: Judicial Law Making and the doctrine of Precedent Week Five: Reading the Riot Act: How Statutes are Interpreted Week Six: After the War, Before the Peace: The European Union and Human Rights
The course has been developed by the University of London and runs for 6 weeks starting on 23rd June. Click here to access the course.
