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ORIENTATION PROGRAM
Welcome to Units 1 & 2 Legal Studies for 2026!
To succeed in VCE Legal Studies, students must have a good understanding of what is happening in the world around them – What happens in Parliament? What is the Government's role? How do Courts work? What is the role of the police force?
In this subject, you must use your writing skills and verbal skills to explain and justify your arguments in detail.
In Unit 1 (The Presumption of Innocence) students develop an understanding of legal foundations, such as the different types and sources of law, the characteristics of an effective law, and an overview of parliament and the courts. Students are introduced to and apply the principles of justice. They investigate key concepts of criminal law and apply these to actual and/or hypothetical scenarios to determine whether an accused may be found guilty of a crime. In doing this, students develop an appreciation of the manner in which legal principles and information are used in making reasoned judgments and conclusions about the culpability of an accused. Students also develop an appreciation of how a criminal case is determined, and the types and purposes of sanctions. Students apply their understanding of how criminal cases are resolved and the effectiveness of sanctions through consideration of recent criminal cases from the past four years.
In Unit 2 (Wrongs and Rights) students investigate key concepts of civil law and apply these to actual and/or hypothetical scenarios to determine whether a party is liable in a civil dispute. Students explore different areas of civil law, and the methods and institutions that may be used to resolve a civil dispute and provide remedies. They apply knowledge through an investigation of civil cases from the past four years. Students also develop an understanding of how human rights are protected in Australia and possible reforms to the protection of rights, and investigate a contemporary human rights issue in Australia, with a specific focus on one case study.
Orientation Materials:
Holiday Homework
Task One: Edrolo Work
Watch the following Edrolo videos and create summary notes for each in your workbook
Chapter 1A: Social Cohesion and the Rights of Individuals
Chapter 1B: The Principles of Justice
Complete the following questions in Edrolo online (use the command terms on the next slide to help guide your answers):
Chapter 1A: Q8 - Q12
Chapter 1B: Q7 - Q11
Task Two: Glossary
Using the definitions in the back of your textbook, create a glossary in the back of your workbook for the terms on Slide 27.
Task Three: Case Analysis
Complete the Criminal Law vs. Civil Law: Case Analysis and Comparison Worksheet and submit via Classroom
Have a lovely holiday break!
Feel free to contact us via email, if you have any questions.
Ms. Shmerling
Mrs. Masterson
Mr Jhoomun
Ms Allison
kate.allison@mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
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