Text:
Understanding the Law, 2nd Edition,
Dickinson, Liepner, Talos, and Buckingham
1996, McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd.
Course Web Site:
http://www.xe.net/isnet/hts/academic/blwoa
Units and Topics Covered:
TERM #1:
Our Legal Heritage:
Law and Lawgivers
Comparative Legal Systems
Canadian Constitutional Law
Human Rights and Freedoms:
Concept of Human Rights
Human-rights Legislation in Canada
Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship
The Criminal Justice System:
The Nature of Crime
Methods of Adjudication
Principles of Sentencing
TERM #2:
The Penal System in Canada:
Sentencing Considerations
Sentences
Young Offenders
The Limits of Legal Liability:
Civil Law
Intentional Torts
Unintentional Torts
TERM #3:
Law and the Economy:
Legal Controls on Trade
Regulation of Labor and Management
Consumer protection
Contract Law
Law and the World Community:
Sources and Uses of International Law
Current Issues in International Law
| Category | Term #1 | Exam #1 | Term #2 | Term #3 | Exam #2 |
| 40% | 20% | 60% | ||
| 30% | 60% | 10% | ||
| 20% | 10% | 20% | ||
| 10% | 10% | 10% | ||
| 100% | 100% | |||
| Total Term %: | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Total Year %: | 20% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 20% |
Testing Philosophy:
Bear in mind that a test will attempt to assess a student's understanding of topics and issues.
Although memorization of any facts or details involved is often essential for a correct answer,
this is not all that is required. Questions are not always designed to allow a student to recite
a class note in the appropriate place, but rather to apply the knowledge contained within a given
note in a new, and often abstract, way.
A student's opinion on a topic or issue will be given due consideration, but will be considered of little value if it is not supported by fact. Opinions are expected to take the information learned within the course into consideration - not to replace this information.
Furthermore, the course instructor will not assume any understanding, guess any meaning, or extrapolate any points that are not clearly stated within a student's answer.
Finally, an answer that contains any particular word or phrase that, by way of coincidence, is a word or phrase associated with the correct answer, will not automatically receive a mark. Answers are graded by the virtue of their meaning - not by the vocabulary they may contain.
Course Policies and Guidelines:
Assignments and Projects:
1)All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the assigned day.
2) Late assignments will be penalized 10% per day, up to a maximum of 50%. An
Academic Deficiency Form will be sent home after an assignment is two
days late. This form is to be signed by a parent and then returned to the
H.T.S. office.
3) Extensions on assignment due dates can be granted if the student can present
sufficient grounds for an extension at least 4 days in advance of the
deadline. The student must complete and submit an extension application form before an extension will be considered.
4) All work must be neat and accurate, typing or word processing of major
assignments is strongly encouraged.
5) All borrowed information must be properly documented using an accepted
procedure, i.e. footnoting, endnoting, etc. Plagiarism is an offence and
will result in an automatic grade of zero for the assignment.
6) Spelling and grammar will be figured into the grade of every written
assignment (up to a maximum of 20% of the mark). There is no substitute
for a well written paper.
Tests and Exams:
7) All students are expected to write tests on the set date. If a student must miss
a test day, then the onus is placed on the student to let me know well in
advance, and to arrange for an alternate time to take the test.
8) If the student misses a test day without letting me know in advance, then only
a doctor's note can allow the student to make up the test.
9) If the student misses a test and yet is found to be in attendance on the day in
question, an automatic zero will be awarded for the test mark.
10) If the student is found to have cheated on a test, an automatic zero will be
awarded for the test mark.
Class Work Ethic:
11) Students are expected to be in class and ready to work by the beginning of
the period.
12) Participation in class activities and discussions is strongly encouraged and
will count towards 10% of the student's term grade.
13) Lateness and missing of days will count against the student's participation
mark (up to a maximum of 10% of the term grade).