1. Identify and explain rules of statutory interpretation

Knowledge and Understanding

2. Interpret statutes and legal judgments

Analysis, Application

3. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the doctrine of precedent

Learning, Analysis

The final assessment will be an unseen examination with pre-released materials which relate to a judgment. Short questions will require students to interpret the judgment by identifying and explaining how rules of statutory interpretation have been applied (LO 1 and 2). The final section of the examination will be an essay style question on an aspect of the doctrine of precedent, requiring students to make an evaluation of its advantages and disadvantages (LO3.) Students will be permitted to take their own marked-up copy of the pre-released material into the examination.

The module covers the core skills for accessing, reading and interpreting both common law (case law) and statutory law.

The key topics include:

•The doctrine of precedent:

•Structure of law reports

•Reading law reports

•Hierarchy of the courts

•Precedent and the Human Rights Act 1998

•The Supreme Court

•The Court of Appeal

•Distinguishing, reversing and overruling

Statutory interpretation:
The structure of a statute
The Literal Rule, Golden Rule and Mischief Rule
3 Latin rules:

•ejusdem generis;

•noscitur a sociis;

•expressio unius est exclusio alterius

Purposive Approach
Intrinsic and Extrinsic aids to statutory interpretation

In this module you will be focusing on the core legal skills for a law degree and career in the legal profession: how to find and interpret statutory law (made by Parliament) and case law (made by judges). By engaging with a range of cases, statutes and the rules which govern them, you will gain confidence in working with the primary sources of English Law. You will also develop your transferable skills in the areas of research, focusing on practical strategies for digital research, and how to record your research to use it effectively for academic work.

This module provides a firm foundation in understanding the core skills and concepts which are required in order to find and interpret both statutory and case law.

The module will be taught through 39 hours of contact time. Each week students will attend a large group lecture of 1 hour, and a 2-hour workshop. The lecture will focus on tutor-led exposition of the key concepts relating to the doctrine of judicial precedent, and the rules of statutory interpretation. Students will have opportunities for active engagement with this new subject knowledge through strategies including questioning and quizzes to gain instant feedback on developing knowledge and understanding of the core concepts.

The workshops will provide students with extended opportunities to construct their own knowledge through a wide range of tasks and activities aimed at building familiarity and confidence with interpretation of statutory and case law. The focus will be on active learning. Students will search for, read and interpret primary sources in accordance with core legal principles and skills. Paired and group work will be utilised to encourage students to discuss, compare and test strategies in approaching tasks. There will be a strong emphasis on reading and engaging with primary sources of law. The tutor will support students in developing strategies for reading and understanding legal texts, and to support emerging skills in interpreting legal language that may be dense, complex and archaic. Analytical and evaluative skills will be developed through tasks considering the advantages and disadvantages of different aspects of the central legal doctrine of judicial precedent. Students may be required to work in pairs to present one side of the argument for or against a particular position, and to present their views to the rest of the group.

It is advised that students spend 5-8 hours per week on tasks relating to the scheduled classes, including preparation for workshops, reading, and consolidation of lecture and workshop notes. The remaining hours on the module will be focused on assessment. There will be an opportunity for students to sit a mock assessment and receive feedback on their performance.

3 of the workshops on this module will be dedicated to the following PDP topics relating to skills for work and study:

•Self-organised learning and time-management

•Digital research skills

•Taking notes and keeping records

Finch E and Fafinski S, Legal Skills. (9th edn, Oxford Univ Press 2023)
Gillespie A and Weare S, The English Legal System. (9th edn, Oxford University Press 2023)

Both reference texts are available on the Law Trove digital textbooks service.

Library databases
WestLaw and Lexislegal databases
Practical Law legal database

Other textbooks on legal skills can also be accessed via the Law Trove OUP online textbook service.