VCE Legal Studies Question Thread

[Glasses]

Hey all,

I was just wondering if anyone would be able to tell me how in-depth we need to be with our understanding of the original and appellate jurisdictions of the courts? For instance, the textbook I'm using goes into a lot of detail, and describes things such as: what's required for an indictable offence to be heard summarily, why people would have indictable offences heard summarily, the criteria for diversion programs, types of warrants, etc.

Basically I was wondering if this stuff was examinable?

[legal gal]

Heyy,

So I am doing my first legal essay and I'm stuck. The statement is:
'Discuss the extent to which the adversary system achieves one of the elements of an effective legal system. In your answer compare two features of the adversary system and inquisitorial system.'
So basically what I need help with, is the structure of the essay. How do you structure a body paragraph? I'm not sure using TEEL is appropriate in this situation

Your help is very much appreciated!

[clarke54321]

Hi all,

With this question:

Your mother and father run a small family business and have been having trouble with a contractor who has been doing work for them. There are a number of legal issues involving contract disputes and negligence that need to be resolved.

Advise your parents on the advantages and disadvantages of courts versus the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal as two avenues for dispute resolution, so that they can choose the best option for their situation.

Do I need to come to a decision?

[meganrobyn]

Hi all,

With this question:

Your mother and father run a small family business and have been having trouble with a contractor who has been doing work for them. There are a number of legal issues involving contract disputes and negligence that need to be resolved.

Advise your parents on the advantages and disadvantages of courts versus the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal as two avenues for dispute resolution, so that they can choose the best option for their situation.

Do I need to come to a decision?

Nope - it's essentially asking you to explain the advantages and disadvantages, and no conclusion-focused task word such as evaluate, analyse etc is used. Your 'parents' will come to the conclusion.

And I say this with some confidence because I wrote the question. Ha. Ha ha.

Seriously. It's from one of my 2012 CPAP SACs.

[meganrobyn]

Hey all,

I was just wondering if anyone would be able to tell me how in-depth we need to be with our understanding of the original and appellate jurisdictions of the courts? For instance, the textbook I'm using goes into a lot of detail, and describes things such as: what's required for an indictable offence to be heard summarily, why people would have indictable offences heard summarily, the criteria for diversion programs, types of warrants, etc.

Basically I was wondering if this stuff was examinable?

It's hard to say: some of that is; some of that isn't. Basically, if it's part of SD dot-point content, it is.

For example, hearing an offence summarily IS, because that's an important part of the MC jurisdiction (and, by corollary, the CC jurisdiction). But diversion programs aren't, because you only need to know three sanctions, and the SD doesn't specify which.

So, it depends! Always go back to the SD.

[meganrobyn]

Heyy,

So I am doing my first legal essay and I'm stuck. The statement is:
'Discuss the extent to which the adversary system achieves one of the elements of an effective legal system. In your answer compare two features of the adversary system and inquisitorial system.'
So basically what I need help with, is the structure of the essay. How do you structure a body paragraph? I'm not sure using TEEL is appropriate in this situation

Your help is very much appreciated!

The structure of a paragraph will depend on the overall structure of your answer. A general rule is: answer/argument; elaboration/examples/sub-arguments.

If it's a comparison paragraph, for instance, your first sentence will probably be a similarity; then your second might elaborate on that. Then you can switch to another paragraph for the next similarity (or difference), or you can group all your similarities together in the one paragraph.

If it's an evaluation paragraph, you probably want to start with the feature or aspect of the thing you're about to evaluate - here, that might be the role of the judge, for instance. Then you have your S&W.

It all depends on the task word that applies to that paragraph, though. Always structure according to the type of task word.

[clarke54321]

Nope - it's essentially asking you to explain the advantages and disadvantages, and no conclusion-focused task word such as evaluate, analyse etc is used. Your 'parents' will come to the conclusion.

And I say this with some confidence because I wrote the question. Ha. Ha ha.

Seriously. It's from one of my 2012 CPAP SACs.

Ha! Seriously?!

Our school always uses CPAP for our SACs. They're great questions 

[meganrobyn]

Ha! Seriously?!

Our school always uses CPAP for our SACs. They're great questions 

Thank you!!! Yeah, I do all the CPAP Legal stuff. I have lectures coming up in a couple of months, too. Please: let me tell you how awesome I am.

I kid. I've never been to one of my own lectures.

[emilypaul]

Hi Guys!

I am seeking some help (last year i was averaging 90% in legal and not in unit 3/4 my best result has been 70% so I really need to do better).

I am doing a practise SAC for Unit 4 AOS 1. The question is:
Compare the role of the independent third party in mediation, conciliation and arbitration. (6 marks)

My question is how do I go about getting the full 6 marks? My plan of attack when answering it would be:

Intro
Paragraph 1- mediation and mediator
Paragraph 2- conciliation and conciliator
Paragraph 3- arbitration and arbitrator
In each paragraph I would point out the distinguishing factors that differentiate them from each other.

Would this be sufficient?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Emily 

[clarke54321]

Hi everyone,

For a 'discuss' question, do I require a conclusion?

Thanks very much 

[meganrobyn]

Hi Guys!

I am seeking some help (last year i was averaging 90% in legal and not in unit 3/4 my best result has been 70% so I really need to do better).

I am doing a practise SAC for Unit 4 AOS 1. The question is:
Compare the role of the independent third party in mediation, conciliation and arbitration. (6 marks)

My question is how do I go about getting the full 6 marks? My plan of attack when answering it would be:

Intro
Paragraph 1- mediation and mediator
Paragraph 2- conciliation and conciliator
Paragraph 3- arbitration and arbitrator
In each paragraph I would point out the distinguishing factors that differentiate them from each other.

Would this be sufficient?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Emily 

I wouldn't structure it like this because the structure doesn't address the task word. 'Compare' requires both sims and diffs, and you're structuring it like it's three separate 'explain' questions - leaving the sims and diffs implied.

I would structure it by sim/diff/feature.

For instance, in the first paragraph I might address the obvious: the extent to which the third party influences the outcome. Explicitly say the sims and diffs. Then in the second I might talk about the training/qualifications/experience of the third party. Then maybe the extent to which (and the way in which) they can influence and contribute to the way the parties pursue their case/their side. That kind of thing.

[meganrobyn]

Hi everyone,

For a 'discuss' question, do I require a conclusion?

Thanks very much 

I think of discuss as a 'soft' eval. I usually do advance opinions, but it's okay to leave it more open.

[nm4065]

When evaluating the operation of courts and VCAT, do we have to come to a conclusion as to which avenue is better or more effective at resolving civil disputes, or can we come to the conclusion that their effectiveness depends on the type of dispute, as the strengths and weaknesses of each avenue may make a case more suitable to either venue, depending on the circumstances.Thanks

[HopefulLawStudent]

Explain how the existence of a court hierarchy achieves the advantages of specialisation and administrative efficiency.

Please help.

[meganrobyn]

Please help.

What do you want help with?

There are four really popular reasons for a court hierarchy, and those are two of them.