Introduction
Welcome to CRIM 1161: The Canadian Legal System.
The Course Guide contains important information about the course structure, learning materials, and expectations for completing the course requirements. It also provides information about how and when to contact your Open Learning Faculty Member, an expert in the course content, who will guide you through the course. Take some time to read through the Course Guide to familiarize yourself with what you need to do to successfully complete your course.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your Open Learning Faculty Member. We hope you enjoy the course.
Course Description
This course focuses on the history, development and present day operation of the Canadian legal system. The topics that will be examined include: constitutional law; criminal, contract and tort law; human rights; administrative law; the court system; the functions of judges and lawyers; and the basic elements of legal reasoning
Prerequisites
None.
Learning Outcomes
After successfully completing this course, you will be able to:
Define the role of law in society.
Describe perspectives of law.
Identify legal sources and conduct legal research.
Describe the historical sources of Canadian law.
Identify the divisions or branches of law in Canada.
Describe interpretation of ambiguous statutes.
Describe the development of the Canadian Constitution.
Identify provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Discuss the structure of the court system in Canada.
Describe the adversarial system and alternative dispute resolution models.
Discuss legal reasoning and the application of precedent.
Describe how lawyers are educated and trained and how judges are appointed.
Describe the main elements of tort law, contract law, family law and criminal law.
Define administrative law and the function and review of administrative tribunals.