Postgraduate - UnitLAW7273 - Principles of evidence

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2014 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.

print version

6 points, SCA Band 3, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

Level	Postgraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Law
Offered	City (Melbourne) Trimester 1 2014 (Day) City (Melbourne) Trimester 2 2014 (Day) City (Melbourne) Trimester 3 2014 (Day)

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

Quota applies

Postgraduate programs are based on a model of small group teaching and therefore class sizes need to be restricted.

Synopsis

This unit will give students a thorough understanding of the fundamental principles and concepts underlying the law of evidence, both State and Federal, together with an appreciation of the relationship between the law of evidence and the nature of a civil or criminal trial in the Australian legal system. Students will examine key concepts of the law of evidence in the context of the purposes of exclusionary rules. The unit will examine the role of technology in the trial court and the issues raised by its use for litigants and the court itself. The unit will also provide a brief introduction to the principles of evidence as applied in the courts of other jurisdictions.

Outcomes

On completion of this unit students will have:

acquired a thorough understanding of the rules and principles of the law of evidence
developed the ability to analyse a case or factual situation and determine what evidence may be required and what evidence may be admissible
acquired the ability to analyse the weight and probative value of differing forms of available evidence
acquired the ability to distinguish, where applicable, between evidence which may be lead in courts in different Australian jurisdictions
acquired a familiarity with the principles of the law of evidence applicable in foreign jurisdictions
further developed skills in case law analysis and statutory interpretation.

Assessment

Memorandum of Advice requiring students to provide detailed advice on issues of evidence arising in a civil or criminal trial: 30%
Final examination: 70%