| Unit name | Family Law |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWD20036 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Masson |
| 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 |
The Unit aims to develop students’ understanding of Family Law i.e. how the law regulates family relationships and the use of law to resolve disputes within families. The particular topics included relate to the creation and dissolution of family relationships (marriage, civil partnership and divorce) and parenthood (parentage, parental responsibility and children's rights). The unit will also address issues relating to the role of courts in family disputes such as contact after parental separation and protection of family members from violence. The unit will develop students’ skills in analysing and evaluating legal developments and policy initiatives relating to families.
Subject knowledge: students will be introduced to key topics within family law and the relevant statutes and case law which apply to them. Contextual skills: students will develop an understanding of the operation of family law through study of research literature on families and the operation of the law relating to family breakdown. Legal skills: students will gain familiarity in handling primary legal materials Application: problem solving skills will be developed. Analysis/ synthesis, critical judgment and evaluation will be emphasized throughout.
20 lectures, 8 tutorials and 2 enhancement sessions
Summative: 1 x 3 hour examination Formative: Students will have the opportunity to receive feedback on 2 x 1500 essays or the equivalent during the autumn and spring terms
Probert,R Cretney's Family Law, London: Sweet and Maxwell (8th ed 2012); Family Law Statutes 2012-13; Family Justice Review 2011; George, R Ideas and Debates in Family Law Oxford: Hart; Burton, M Domestic Violence literature review, London: Legal Services Commission (2009); Law Commission (1990) The ground for divorce (LC 192), London: TSO.
