This course provides a substantive introduction to the common law and the Australian legal system for law graduates from non-common law jurisdictions and should be studied in the first semester. The core topics are the Australian Constitution, the court system, contract and tort law, equity and trusts, property law, regulation of business.

Main Topics
• Introduction to the Australian Constitution and legal system. Presentations on participants' home jurisdictions
• The Common Law Legal System: court process, judicial reasoning, reading law reports. Visits to the NSW Court of Appeal, and the District Court of NSW to observe appeal proceedings and a criminal trial before a jury
• The Australian Constitution: the Executive, the Legislature and the Judicature. The role of the High Court of Australia in interpreting the Constitution
• Criminal law and procedure, focusing on comparative aspects of the criminal process. The jury system
• Contract law through the cases. Comparative aspects of contract law. Consideration. Interaction of common law and statute
• Civil wrongs - the law of torts, developed through the cases and legislation
• Overview of property law in Australia. Real and personal property

More information can be found on the Course Outline Website.