Postgraduate - UnitLAW7467 - Advanced torts

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2013 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 3, 0.125 EFTSL

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Level	Postgraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Law
Offered	City (Melbourne) Trimester 3 2013 (Evening)

Notes

For postgraduate Law discontinuation dates, please see http://www.law.monash.edu.au/current-students/postgraduate/pg-disc-dates.html
For postgraduate Law unit timetables, please see http://law.monash.edu.au/current-students/course-unit-information/timetables/postgraduate/index.html

Synopsis

This unit will build upon the study of Torts in the undergraduate and JD programs and explore a range of controversial contemporary issues in relation to tortious liability. It will enhance student's understanding of the mechanisms through which torts law addresses civil wrongs. It will analyse the social, economical and political constraints in which torts law operates and how they find reflection in liability rules. Where appropriate, the unit will have regard to materials from other jurisdictions and adopt a comparative approach.

The issues considered may vary, depending on topicality, and lecturer and student interest in a given year. They are likely to include some or all of the following:

The Ipp reforms and the role of statute
Developments in liability for psychiatric harm
Liability for infliction of mental distress
Privacy law reform
Changes to the concept of causation in tort
Loss of chance
Wrongful birth and wrongful life
Immunities
Torts and human rights.

Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

Demonstrate and apply specialised knowledge of a range of current controversies in torts law;
demonstrate advanced skills in interpreting civil liability legislation, tort law cases, academic commentary and law reform materials and applying them to evaluate complex and novel tort law issues;
critically evaluate the effectiveness of torts law in redressing civil wrongs having regard to the social, economic and political context in which tort law operates;
conduct independent research into relevant domestic and international materials on contemporary torts law issues; and
write clear, creative and persuasive opinions and critical essays demonstrating an advanced understanding of contemporary torts issues.

Assessment

Research assignment (3,750 words): 50%
Take-home examination (3,750 words): 50%

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Normann Witzleb Personal ProfilePersonal Profile (http://http://monash.edu/research/people/profiles/profile.html?sid=13449&pid=4408)

Contact hours

24 contact hours per teaching period (either intensive, semi-intensive or semester long, depending on the Faculty resources, timetabling and requirements)

Prerequisites

LAW2201 Torts A and LAW2202 Torts B (or equivalent); or
LAW7266 Principles of torts (or equivalent)