Objectives: To be able to plan, prepare, and perform for a judge alone trial which raises Expert Evidence legal issues, raises common bases of evidence objections, and has fact and credibility disputes.

Content:  The course will cover:

• Development of case strategy - being able to analyse and prepare a case for all participant perspectives.
• Preparation skills for written and spoken forms of opening and closing submissions, and expert witness statements.
• Questioning skills for taking instructions, examination-in-chief and cross examination - agenda setting, settling the witness, witness control, story development and reiteration, argument embedded in question strings.
• How to search for relevant material in the social sciences when seeking to use social science expertise.

Understanding the requirements placed on litigations lawyers and experts by Expert Witness guidelines; development of a case analysis and preparation method which is appropriate for each student; an understanding of basic court questioning and submission skills and the capacity to assess the competence of advocates.

The assessment is expected to include three items:  a practical assessment of in court advocacy skills (which is done on the final day of the intensive); a social science literature review; and, that part of a closing submission which deals with an expert's methods and opinions.

Please note: each and every assessment item must be passed in order to pass the course.

Students must rely on the Approved Assessment which will be posted to the course homepage on the ANU Law website, prior to the commencement of the course. Some assessment will be submitted prior to the onsite component.

26 Contact Hours (Intensive Delivery) and WATTLE.

Have completed a PLT course, or Articles, or discussed with the course convenor prior ‘court room' observation and/or experience (for example, as an associate).

LLB degree

See list of ‘on line' readings posted on the WATTLE site two-three weeks before the course intensive begins.

Numbers for this course are capped at 20. Early enrolment is recommended. This course will commence on WATTLE on 25 July 2011, prior to the on site component. Logon to WATTLE at: http://wattle.anu.edu.au/ using your ISIS username and password. 

The onsite component of the course will run from 5 to 8 September 2011.

Click here for fee and census date information