| Unit name | Public Law II |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWDM0102 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Syrett |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit is designed to build upon students’ understanding of the rules, principles and practices which regulate the powers of the key institutions of government in the UK through a consideration of the relationship between the individual and the state. Its focus will be on the principles of judicial review of administrative action, the development of non-judicial processes for administrative accountability and the role of human rights law as means by which redress may be obtained and government rendered accountable. The aim of this unit is for students to build upon the knowledge of foundational constitutional principles and institutional relationships developed in Public Law I and to apply this to the specific context of the relationship between the individual and the state. There will be a particular emphasis upon the further development of skills of case analysis and statutory interpretation respectively in the contexts of judicial review of administrative action and human rights law. Students will also be encouraged to move beyond strictly legal mechanisms and to consider other means by which the executive may be held accountable and individual grievances redressed
After completing the unit, students will be able to display knowledge of the manner in which the law regulates the relationship between the institutions of government (examined in Public Law I) and the individual. In this regard, they will develop a more advanced understanding of the legal principles underpinning the powers of governmental institutions and the legal mechanisms by means of which such powers are limited. The study of judicial review of administrative action and human rights law will equip students with advanced skills in case and statutory analysis and the focus on the state’s relationship with the individual will further enhance students’ capacity to situate law in a specific socio-political context. Students will have further developed their research skills in this subject by investigating a topic which has not been discussed in any detail in seminars.
Four fortnightly two-hour seminars and attendance at relevant weekly one-hour lectures.
1,500-2000 word coursework/problem question.
This will be on a topic not discussed in any detail in seminars, but which requires students to piece together their acquired knowledge and independently investigate new areas of administrative and human rights law. The coursework will also test students’ awareness of the socio-political context in which the law is to be applied. Formative feedback given in the first semester in Public Law I will be helpful to these students in completion of this assessment.
Most recent editions of:
