Introduction to Studies and Legal Science (20605)

• Year: 1
• Term: 1
• Degree awarded: Degree in Law
• Areas: Roman Law and Procedural Law (Law Department)
• Number of  ECTS credits: 8
• Student hours: 200 h.

Syllabus

"Introduction to Legal Science" aims to provide the bases required for students to get the best out of their Law Degree studies. The course is designed to teach students the basics of two complementary aspects of legal studies: the science of law and its professional practice.

Law has been a specialised area of knowledge since Ancient Roman times and legal experts were expected to undertake special high-level theoretical training then just as they are now. However, the ultimate aim of studying law has always been its use for professional practice and the great majority of law students - not to say all of them - come to university to acquire knowledge and skills that will enable them to practice a profession in the future. The fundamental objective of the Degree in Law is to train good legal experts who are also capable of being top class professionals. The course aims to introduce students to these two complementary aspects of their legal training, which they will have to keep in mind, combine and work on over the subsequent four years.

The course is therefore organised into two coordinated modules, which function independently to some extent: "Introduction to Legal Science" and "Introduction to the Practice of Law". The first course is taught by staff from the area of Roman law and the second by staff from the area of Procedural Law. Both aspects of the course are taught simultaneously during the first term.

Part I. Introduction to Legal Science

Contents section 1. A historical perspective on legal science

Topic 1. Legal Science in Rome

Topic 2. Legal science in Europe since the Middle Ages

Contents section 2. The protection of subjective rights

Topic 3. Roman civil procedure

Contents section 3. Introduction to private law institutions (law of persons, legal transactions, law of obligations and contracts)

Topic 4. The subject of law

Topic 5. Legal transactions

Topic 6. Introduction to the Roman law of obligations

Topic 7. Guarantee and reinforcement of obligations

Topic 8. The legal system of Roman obligation

Contents section 4. Roman contracts in particular [Subgroups]

Topic 9. Real contracts

Topic 10. Consensual contracts, especially contracts of sale and purchase; agreements

Topic 11. Formal contracts, especially verbal contracts

Contents section 5. Introduction to public law institutions

Topic 12. Criminal law and administrative law

Part II. Introduction to the praxis of law

Contents section 1. Methods of resolving lawsuits

Topic 1. How are lawsuits resolved?

Topic 2. Alternative means (ADR)

Topic 3. State justice

Contents section 2. Who is involved in the system?

Topic 4. The users

Topic 5. The defence

Topic 6. The courts

Topic 7. Staff

Topic 8. Management

Contents section 3. The trial

Topic 9. Trials

Topic 10. Communications

Topic 11. The constitutional guarantees of the procedural system

Topic 12. Costs