LAWS8142 Tort Liability and Public Authorities

LAWS8142 is only available under certain award programs.

Offered By	Law
Academic Career	Graduate Coursework
Course Subject	Laws
Offered in	Autumn Session, 2010 and Autumn Session, 2011
Unit Value	6 units
Course Description	Content: While the course has a public sector orientation, it is designed to provide non-lawyers with an overview of tort law and to provide law graduates with an up-to-date review of basic principle and critical analysis of recent developments. There is some flexibility in the content. Topics to be covered include: the field of tort law; modern principles of negligence; negligent liability of public authorities, with particular attention to failure to exercise a statutory power, and economic loss; breach of statutory duty; nuisance; misfeasance in public office; the "economic torts" - inducing breach of contract, intimidation and conspiracy
Learning Outcomes	A participant who has successfully completed this course should: have an overview of the shape of, and trends in, modern tort law; understand the principles of negligence, and their particular application to governments and public authorities; understand the operation of the separate torts of nuisance, breach of statutory duty, misfeasance in public office and inducing breach of contract; be able to analyse critically the policy issues involved, and appreciate the intersection of tort law with other principles and bodies of law.
Indicative Assessment	Assessment is likely to comprise an 8,000 word assignment on a topic of the student's choice (subject to the lecturer's approval). Students must rely on the Approved Assessment which will be posted to the ANU Law website, prior to the commencement of the course.
Workload	26 Contact Hours (Intensive Delivery) Click here for the 2010 timetable
Course Classification(s)	AdvancedAdvanced courses are designed for students having reached 'first degree' level of assumed knowledge, which provide a deep understanding of contemporary issues; or 'second degree' and higher levels of knowledge; or for transition to research training programs. and SpecialistSpecialist courses are designed for students having reached 'first degree' level of assumed knowledge, which provide for the acquisition of specialist skills; or 'second degree' and higher level of knowledge; or for transition to research training programs; or knowledge associated with professional accreditation.
Areas of Interest	Law
Assumed Knowledge and Required Skills	Assumed knowledge: Either a Law degree or successful completion of Introduction to legal reasoning and Research and Fundamentals of Government and Commercial Law. Required skills: Ability to read and understand selected cases and statutes.
Requisite Statement	LAWS8153 Introduction to Legal Reasoning and Research (non-lawyers); LAWS8568 Fundamentals of Government and Commercial Law (non-lawyers).
Preliminary Reading	Balkin and Davis, Law of Torts 4 ed, 2009, Chap 7
Indicative Reading List	A set of reading materials will be prepared and made available electronically approximately one month before classes start.
Programs	Graduate Diploma in Government and Commercial Law, Master of Legal Studies, and Master of Government and Commercial Law
Other Information	Click here for fee and census date information
Academic Contact	Jim Davis and Graduate Administration

The information published on the Study at ANU 2010 website applies to the 2010 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2009 website.