LAW4225: Non-Adversarial Justice
Review #1 - written in 2019
RECORDED LECTURES:
No, but notes were provided.
IS THERE A PRESCRIBED TEXTBOOK?
Yes, although you can probably get through the unit without doing the readings. However, the textbook is very useful for assessment tasks
ANY UNITS THAT WOULD PAIR WELL WITH THIS UNIT?
Would probably pair well with Crim 2.
HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE QUALITY OF THE UNIT?
Below Average.
HOW INTERESTING WAS THE UNIT CONTENT OUT OF 5?
3.
TIPS FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS:
Put as much effort as you can in assessments as they are marked harshly. Don’t make the mistake of treating the unit as a bludge subject.
FURTHER COMMENTS:
Lectures were long-winded as they were 3-hours long. Whilst the content itself was interesting, and the CE tried to encourage engagement through discussion and guest lecturers, I found that her approach was often dry and monotonous. No tutorials however and the assignment and take-home exam were relatively clear, you just need to bear in mind that the Chief Examiner is a very critical marker. The best part of the unit is the assignment which includes a one-day placement where you can sit in and observe court processes, and your experience is used to build on in the major essay.
Review #2 - written in 2019
RECORDED LECTURES:
No, but notes were provided.
PAST EXAMS AVAILABLE:
Yes.
IS THERE A PRESCRIBED TEXTBOOK? IF SO, ARE THE READINGS RECOMMENDED?
Yes. Readings are essential, but it is very easy reading as the text book is short, clear, and simple. I recommend reading it for a better understanding of theories and concepts, particularly if you do not intend to attend lectures.
WHAT UNITS SHARES THE DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THE UNIT YOU ARE REVIEWING?
Foundations of Law.
ANY UNITS TO PAIR WITH THIS UNIT OR TO AVOID?
This unit is extremely easy to manage. Would be good with a heavy workload as a more laid back unit.
HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE QUALITY OF THE UNIT?
Excellent.
HOW INTERESTING WAS THE UNIT CONTENT?
Very interesting.
TIPS FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS:
I would recommend this subject purely for the excursion aspect. I really enjoyed writing the assignment due to the freedom given and the ability to write in a first person, reflective manner on the things we observed in court.
FURTHER COMMENTS:
Lecture style in this subject is very common sensical. Lectures are informative in an every day knowledge sort of way. Guest lecturers are brought in and lectures are often very interesting. However, this year 3 hours of lectures non stop was a killer and it was too difficult to get through to the end. It was not hard to convince yourself to skip lectures as besides the guest speakers, content covered in class was the same as that on the lecture slides which were released.
Review #3 - written in 2016
COMMENTS:
The course was primarily taught by one lecturer, with guest lecturers coming in to discuss their area of expertise in relation to which non-adversarial processes they employ in their respective fields.
I thoroughly enjoyed connecting with the course content as I thought it provided a nice complement to traditional law units which focus on adversarial and more ‘top end’ legal processes, such as those employed by appellate courts.
The highlight of the unit for me personally was the ability to do placement in an area of law which was of particular interest to me, human rights. I was placed at the Assessment and Referral Court List of the Magistrate’s Court; the practical experience of shadowing a barrister working on the List was one of the most professionally valuable experiences I’ve had in my law studies to date.
The unit itself was very straightforward and focused on theories of Non-Adversarial Justice. The ability to engage with specialists from diverse fields such as Family and Criminal Law brought an element of practicality to the unit. The only challenge I found was writing the Placement Assignment within the parameters of the topic in only 2,500 words.
For students planning to study this unit I would only advise that you keep up with the readings and coursework weekly, as it aids in the depth of your understanding of the course (although the same can be said for all law units). The unit can be done with a heavy unit work load as it is straightforward and complements compulsory law units nicely.
Studying Non Adversarial Justice is something I’m very happy I’ve done because it has taught me the importance of non-adversarial processes, such as negotiation, in legal disputes, and it has opened up new opportunities of dealing with legal disputes that are more beneficial to parties in the long run.