Note: Classes will proceed in the order indicated below. Students are responsible to check off the classes as they are completed and to always be mindful of the objectives and requirements associated with the next class. Students are expected to complete any required reading and print off any handouts for a given class BEFORE that class.

Unit #1: Our Legal Heritage

Lesson: 1     (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Introduction to the Study of Law: law, justice, jurisprudence, jurists, authoritative principles, the rule of law
References: text, chapter #2; class notes; student survey

Lesson: 2    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Sources of Law: Primary Sources of Law: Religion, Customs & Conventions, Social & Political Philosophy; Secondary Sources of Law: Constitution, Statutes or Acts, Regulations and Orders-in-Council, Case Law
References: text, chapter #2; class notes

Lesson: 3    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Classifying the Law: substantive vs. procedural law, case law vs. statute law, domestic vs. international law, private law vs. public law
References: text, chapter #2; class notes

Lesson: 4    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Canada's Court System: provincial courts, superior courts, courts of appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada
References: text, chapter #5; class notes

Lesson: 5    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: The Development of Earlier Legal Concepts; Natural law: idealism, rationalism, virtue ethics, Justinian Code, and eternal versus natural versus human law.
References: text, chapter #3; class notes

Lesson: 6    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: The Development of Earlier Legal Concepts; Positive law: positive law, social contract theory, authenticity versus social morality, utilitarianism, and legal positivism
References: text, chapter #3; class notes

Lesson: 7    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: The Development of Case and Statute Law: William the Conqueror and the feudal system (1066), Henry II and the court system (1054-1189), King John and the Magna Carta (1215), to Simon de Montfort and English parliament (1265) 
References: text, PowerPoint; chapter #5

Lesson: 8    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: The Development of Canadian Legal Independence: the British North America Act of 1867; the Statute of Westminster; the Constitution Act, 1982
References: text, PowerPoint; chapter #5

Lesson: 9    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Canada's Constitution: Blueprint for Law: the distribution of legislative powers, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the amending formula associated with constitutional reform, residual powers, ultra vires, intra vires
References: text, chapter #5, class notes

Lesson: 10     (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Canada's constitution, Presentations : distribution of legislative power; residual powers, ultra vires / intra vires, pith and substance; three branches of government; court system; Charter of Rights and Freedoms (all sections); constitutional amending formula, constitutional renewal
References: text, chapter #5; class notes

Lesson: 11     (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Canadian Constitutional Amendments: Meech Lake Accord, Charlottetown Accord; various constitutional amendments since 1982
References: text, chapter #5; class notes

Lesson: 12     (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: The Supreme Court: role as interpreter of the constitution; legislative authority, appeal process, selection of Supreme Court Justices, quorums, decisions and rulings
References: Power Point

Lesson: 13     (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: The Supreme Court: criticisms of the Supreme Court: redirecting power from elected officials, emphasizing individual freedoms over societal needs, allowing guilty parties to go unpunished
References: Power Point

Lesson: 14     (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Review: Our Legal Heritage
Reference: review sheet

Lesson: 15     (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Unit Test: Our Legal Heritage
Reference: review sheet

Unit #2: Methods of Legal Inquiry (Intermittent Unit)

Lesson: 16A    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Analyzing Legal Issues: normative statements, positive statements, facts of a case, issues, ratio dicidendi, holding
References: text, chapter #1, pages 12 to 20;

Lesson: 16B (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: The Case Brief: purpose of case briefs; sections of case briefs: citation, facts of the case, issues, ratio dicidendi, holding, analysis
References: text, chapter #1, pages 12 to 20;

Lesson: 17    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Preparing a Case Brief: examining a particular case; preparing the citation, understanding the facts, recognizing the issues, understanding the ratio dicidendi, stating the holding, articulating an original analysis
References: text, chapter #1, pages 12 to 20;

Lesson: 18    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Developing a Thesis: Establishing a position and its supporting arguments; hard evidence versus soft evidence; errors in logic (post-hoc fallacy, hyperbole, circular arguments, and "armchair philosophy" [tautology, truism, assumption, and speculation]).
References: Developing a Thesis

Lesson: 19    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Developing Writing Skill: Sentence Structure
References: PowerPoint; Practice Quiz

Lesson: 20    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Developing Writing Skill: Parts of Speech
References: PowerPoint; Practice Quiz

Lesson: 21    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Developing Writing Skill: Punctuation
References: PowerPoint; Practice Quiz

Lesson: 22    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Mandatory English Proficiency Test
References: Review Sheet and attached PowerPoint handouts

Unit #3: Criminal Law

Lesson: 23    (Date Completed: _______________________)   
Topic: Introduction to Criminal Law: legal definitions of crime; categories of crime and criminal laws; relationship between law and morality
Reference: text, chapter #9, pages 275-282

Unit #4: The Adjudication Process

Lesson: 31    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Historical Methods of Adjudication: adversarial methods
Reference: text, chapter #10, pages 281 - 284; 290 - 291; 292 - 302

Lesson: 32    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Inquisitional Methods of Adjudication: inquisitional methods
Reference: text, chapter #10, pages 281 - 284; 290 - 291; 292 - 302

Lesson: 33    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Pre-trial Procedures: first appearance, indictment, plea (guilty or not guilty), bail hearing
Reference: text, chapter #10, pages 305-316

Lesson: 34    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Pre-trial Procedures Continued: disclosure meeting, R. v. Stinchcombe, 1992, preliminary hearing
Reference: text, chapter #10, pages 305-316

Lesson: 35    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Pre-trial Procedures Continued: pre-trial, agreed statement of facts, plea-bargaining
Reference: text, chapter #10, pages 305-316

Lesson: 36    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Mock Trial Work Period: trial outcome objectives versus witness examination objectives
Reference: OBA Case Brief; Handout entitled "Mock Trial Strategy Workshop"

Lesson: 37    (Date Completed: _______________________)
Topic: Mock Trial Work Period: opening statements, direct examinations, cross-examinations, closing arguments
Reference: OBA Case Brief; Handout entitled "Mock Trial Strategy Workshop"