English Common Law: Structure and Principles-University of London

Last Updated on April 18, 2022 by Team College Learners

Common law follows the doctrine of precedent – the doctrine that judges are hound to treat as binding on them the essential legal grounds of decisions adopted in similar cases previously determined in courts of higher or perhaps equal status.

Collegelearners affords you unlimited access to relevant information on common law University of London, free online English law courses, Common Law UK, introduction to English Law UOL, amongst others.

English Common Law: Structure and Principles | University of London

English Common Law: Structure and Principles-University of London

The Common Law of England and Wales is one of the major global legal traditions. In order to understand the common law, we need to deal with its history, and the development of its characteristic institutions like the jury, judge made law, parliamentary sovereignty and due process. We also need to ask some critical questions. What role does democracy play in the development of the common law? To what extent are human rights central to the modern common law? How does the common law of England and Wales relate to the law of the European Union? Answering these questions will give us insights into the current challenges the law faces and its possible futures.

Syllabus
WEEK 1
Week One: Dead Kings and Presidents: A Brief History of the Common Law
Week one introduces you to the history of the Common Law, from armies and kings through to modern family life. We will journey through the evolution of the Common Law to the system we see today. By the end of this week, hopefully you’ll understand more about: 1. Understand some of the process involved in the Justice System 2. Understand the history of the development of the common law.
More
9 videos, 4 readings

  • Start here
  • Introducing the course
  • Introduction to the course
  • About Professor Gearey
  • Language help
  • An Introduction
  • The History of the Common Law
  • After the Civil War
  • Fairness in the Common Law
  • Due Process
  • Learning the Common Law
  • What is a case?
  • A Common Thread in the Common Law

Graded: Week 1 Exam
WEEK 2
Week Two: See You In Court: The Court System and the Common Law
Welcome to week 2 of English Common Law. Learning outcomes this week: 1. Describe the Hierarchy of the UK Courts, the Judges who sit there and their Judicial role
6 videos

  • Lecture 2 : Introduction
  • An Introduction to the courts
  • The Civil Courts
  • The Criminal Courts
  • The Supreme Court
  • Precedent : How Courts influence each other

Graded: Week 2 Exam
WEEK 3
Week Three: Supreme Power: Parliamentary Sovereignty and Law Making
Welcome to week 3 of English Common Law. Learning outcomes this week: 1. Explain the concept of Parliamentary Sovereignty 2. Describe the journey of a Bill
12 videos

  • Introduction
  • From Putney to Parliament
  • Where does the Law come from?
  • Statutes : the rise of Parliament
  • The Powers of Parliament
  • Parliament and Europe
  • Human rights come home
  • Judges and Parliament
  • What is the House of Commons
  • What is the House of Lords
  • What is the Separation of Powers
  • The Passage of a Bill
Introduction to English Common Law - Paid Internship News

Graded: Week 3 Exam
WEEK 4
Week Four: Wigs and Pens: Judicial Law Making and the doctrine of Precedent
Welcome to week 4 of English Common Law. Learning Outcomes this week: 1. Explain the Court Hierarchy in relation to precedent 2. Identify ways in which precedent may be avoided 3. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of precedent
9 videos

  • Lecture 4 : Introduction
  • What is Precedent
  • How is precedent implemented?
  • Precedent – Post 1966
  • When precedent doesn’t bind
  • When precedent shouldn’t bind
  • Are judges making law
  • The Common Law, Human Rights and Judges
  • The European Courts and precedent

Graded: Week 4 Exam
WEEK 5
Week Five: Reading the Riot Act: How Statutes are Interpreted
Welcome to week 5 of English Common Law. Learning Outcomes this week: 1. Explain the role of Judges in interpreting the law 2. Compare the rules of interpretation and identify the rules of language
9 videos

  • Lecture 5 : Introduction
  • How laws are interpreted
  • How Judges read laws
  • Presumptions
  • The case of Pepper V Hart
  • The case of Bulmer V Bollinger
  • New methods of interpretation
  • Cultural changes in interpretation
  • Interpretation and the human rights act

Graded: Week 5 Exam
WEEK 6
Week Six: After the War, Before the Peace: The European Union and Human Rights
Welcome to week 6 of English Common Law. Learning Outcomes: 1. Explain the effect of the European Communities Act 1972 on Parliamentary Sovereignty 2. Identify the effect on precedent and statutory interpretation 3. Discuss the effect of the Human Rights Act 1998
14 videos

  • Lecture 6 : Introduction
  • The roots of the European Union
  • Fundamental rights
  • The Values of the European Union
  • The Common heritage
  • Institutions of the EU
  • EU Law
  • The European Convention of Human Rights
  • The rights of man and human rights
  • The Rights in the Convention
  • The Structure of a right
  • The right to life
  • The right to freedom of assembly and association
  • Goodbye and Good Luck

Graded: Week 6 Exam
Graded: End of course exam: Acts of Parliament Exam
Graded: End of course exam: Dealing with a case Exam

how to learn about common law

Introduction to English Common Law

Go to class

Overview

Class Central Tips
  • Learn How to Sign up to Coursera courses for free
  • 1600+ Coursera Courses That Are Still Completely Free

The common law of England and Wales is one of the major global legal traditions.

This MOOC will give you an introduction to this influential legal system including its history, constitutional background, sources and institutions. You’ll learn about the different ways in which laws are made and interpreted, the English court system and the increasing importance of European Union and human rights law. Now is an especially exciting time to be learning about English common law, given the potential changes that lie ahead in today’s political, economic and social environment – all these pose challenges to and opportunities for the law.

Each week we’ll focus on one aspect of English common law, using video lectures, readings, discussion questions and activities to enable you to learn about and evaluate key issues. Whether undertaken as a standalone course, or as preparation for the University of London’s world-class LLB degree, you will find this course interesting and stimulating.
Please note that participation in or completion of this online course will not confer academic credit for University of London programmes.

Syllabus

  • Week One | Introduction to the English Legal System
    • Welcome to the first week of the course. Week 1 is an overview of the English legal system. We will consider the history of the common law, and look at what it means to say that English law is a common law system. We will also explore some important themes in common law.
  • Week Two | Constitutional Principles of the English Legal System
    • Welcome to the second week of the course. This week will introduce you to the British Constitution and identify its sources. Week 2 will also look at the fundamental constitutional principles which underpin the English Legal System.
  • Week Three | The Court System
    • Welcome to the third week of the course. This week we’ll look at how the court system works in England. We’ll think about different courts in the system, and also other methods of resolving legal disputes.
  • Week Four | Statutes
    • Welcome to the fourth week of the course. This week will introduce you to statutes or Acts of Parliament, one of the most important sources of English law. Week 4 will cover how statutes are made and the different ways they are interpreted by the courts. You’ll also consider whether statutes should be simplified.
  • Week Five | Case Law
    • Welcome to the fifth week of the course. This week we’ll explore another key source of English law, case law. You’ll be introduced to the doctrine of judicial precedent and the question of judges as law-makers. You’ll have the opportunity to read a case yourself and write a case-note.
  • Week Six | The European Union, European Convention on Human Rights and Human Rights Act 1998
    • Welcome to the sixth and final week of the course. This week will introduce you to the European Union and to the European Convention on Human Rights. Week 6 will also consider the impact of membership of the EU and of the Human Rights Act 1998 on the English Legal System, in particular on the principle of parliamentary sovereignty.
Legal Systems and Legal Institutions (Part I) - Equity and Law

Related Courses

  • Citizenship and the Rule of Law
  • Ford Foundation, MyLawHuman Rights Law 3.0
  • Privacy in Europe 4.0
  • Taiwan Law in Focus: Economy, Society and Democracy
  • Introduction to Environmental Law and Policy 4.7
  • European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals 4.0