Undergraduate Course: Evidence and Criminal Law (LAWS08122)
Course Outline
| School | School of Law |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Law |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | The course is concerned with two areas of legal study. First, it considers the doctrines and principles of criminal law, and in particular examines the scope and function of criminal law in society; criminal responsibility (including the mens rea doctrine, actus reus, and strict liability); specific offences (such as homicide, assault, sexual offences, offences of dishonesty, property offences, and public order offences); and defences (including mental disorder offences, provocation, necessity, and duress).
In its second part the course looks at the concept of evidence in the law, both in relation to the operation of the rules of practical inference in legal contexts and also at legal rules which structure the law's approach to evidence. These rules include those dealing with burdens and standards of proof, collateral evidence, hearsay, evidential privilege, corroboration, and evidence in the setting of a trial.
In both parts the course will consider the impact of the European Convention on Human Rights, especially article 6. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Delivery period: 2013/14 Full Year, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Learn enabled: No |
Quota: 260 |
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Web Timetable |
Web Timetable |
| Class Delivery Information |
First lecture will be held on Tuesday 17th September 2013 at 1110 in LT4 Appleton Tower. |
| Course Start Date |
16/09/2013 |
| Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 44,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
140 )
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| Additional Notes |
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| Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) |
Written Exam
70 %,
Coursework
30 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | | 2:30 | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | | 2:30 | |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course students should have a clear understanding of the structure and principles of criminal law and the law of evidence as well as deep knowledge of the basic rules of those subjects. These principles and concepts include: the nature of a crime and criminal responsibility, defences, crimes against the person and property, statutory offences, civil and criminal evidence, and human rights.
Students should also have developed the ability to analyse critically the criminal law and the law of evidence, and to reflect upon the normative bases of the law. Student should also have begun to research independently on issues of criminal law and the law of evidence. |
Assessment Information
| 30% written exercise, 70% exam |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Not entered |
| Transferable skills |
By the end of this course students should be able to demonstrate a basic ability to:
¿ Think creatively by applying knowledge to problems and to provide accurate answers in written and oral form
¿ Present argument for or against a proposition in a dispassionate manner
¿ Apply knowledge and analysis creatively to complex situations in order to provide arguable solutions to concrete problems by presenting a range of viable options from a set of facts and law
¿ Think critically and make critical judgments on the relative and absolute merits of particular arguments and solutions
¿ Act independently in planning and undertaking tasks in areas of law which he or she has already studied
¿ Deploy numeracy skills
¿ Reflect on his or her own learning, and to seek and make use of feedback |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
2 lectures per week, 10 tutorials |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Gerry Maher
Tel:
Email: gerard.maher@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Heather Haig
Tel: (0131 6)50 2053
Email: Heather.Haig@ed.ac.uk |
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