Unit 1: Guilt and liability
This unit explores an understanding of legal foundations. It investigates key concepts of criminal law and civil law and in doing so, students will develop an appreciation of the way in which legal principles and information are used in making reasoned judgments and conclusions about the culpability of an accused party, and the liability of a party in a civil dispute.
Unit 2: Sanctions, remedies and rights
This unit focuses enforcement of criminal law and civil law, the methods and institutions that may be used to determine a criminal case or resolve a civil dispute, and the purposes and types of sanctions and remedies and their effectiveness.
Unit 3: Rights and justice
This unit examines the methods and institutions in the justice system and considers their appropriateness in determining criminal cases and resolving civil disputes. Students consider the Magistrates’ Court, County Court and Supreme Court within the Victorian court hierarchy, as well as other Victorian legal institutions and bodies available to assist with cases. Students explore matters such as the rights available to an accused and to victims in the criminal justice system, the roles of the judge, jury, legal practitioners and the parties, and the ability of sanctions and remedies to achieve their purposes. Students investigate the extent to which the principles of justice are upheld in the justice system. They discuss recent reforms from the past four years and recommended reforms to enhance the ability of the justice system to achieve the principles of justice.
Unit 4: The people and the law
This unit explores how the Australian Constitution establishes the law-making powers of the Commonwealth and state parliaments, and protects the Australian people through structures that act as a check on parliament in law-making. Students develop an understanding of the significance of the High Court in protecting and interpreting the Australian Constitution. They investigate parliament and the courts, and the relationship between the two in law-making, and consider the roles of the individual, the media and law reform bodies in influencing law reform.