module specification

Criminal Litigation Practice is a 15 week module providing students with an understanding of criminal litigation in a legal practice context.  Assessment is by a combination of coursework and examination. The module will be of interest to all students who wish to practice criminal litigation in a legal environment; or gain an exemption from ILEX Fast Track Graduate Diploma.  

The module aims to:
Provide a detailed  knowledge of police powers of investigation of a crime; the law relating to bail, trial proceedings, sentencing, ancillary orders, legal professional ethics and rules relating to juveniles;
Examine the structure of the criminal courts and their jurisdiction;
Consider the methods of funding criminal proceedings;
Examine professional conduct rules in a legal practice context
 

The syllabus includes introduction and awareness of criminal litigation practice and the rules relating to professional conduct needed to practice law

The module is taught by lectures, seminars and workshops with students required to read from specified materials.  There is a logical progression through both a criminal prosecution.  Students are given the opportunity to discuss theoretical issues as well as practical problem solving.  Students are supported in undertaking on-line research using electronic law databases and encouraged to use Westlaw. There is a virtual learning environment (VLE) containing handbooks, lecture notes, weblinks, discussion groups, specimen assessments, study skills materials and assessment criteria.  Blended learning pervades the delivery of the module and is actively encouraged as students engage with digital materials, use on-line discussion groups (blogs) and achieve a competent standard of digital literacy during their studies.
 
One formative assessments is set and marked promptly with opportunities for feedback both in class and individually.

Knowledge of the topics covered will enhance students’ employability within the legal profession.
Students’ study responsibilities are to attend all classes, research and prepare for seminar and workshop discussion and role play, engage in interactive IT related activities and to undertake all formative and final assessments.

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
1. Describe the jurisdiction of the criminal courts; and apply to a legal situation
2. Understand police powers when investigating crime; and the rules relating to bail and public funding of advice and representation in criminal matters;
3. Analyse and apply a given legal situation on criminal trial procedure; sentencing, orders and judgments; the procedure of appeal and costs;
4. Possess a contextual awareness of criminal rules relating to juveniles
5. Offer practical advice and assistance in relation to a criminal litigation action;
6.  Synthesise relevant case law, statute and professional conduct rules, understand and present conflicting arguments and apply the law to problem scenarios relevant to aspects of criminal litigation practice; and
7.  Display competence in the benchmark skills outcomes of subject knowledge & understanding, application & problem solving and analysis, synthesis, critical judgement & evaluation.
 

The learning outcomes will be examined each year by a problem based coursework and a two and a half hour examination.  The coursework will be 1,500 words. The examination will comprise of a pre-released case study,  one researched seen question plus two out of four unseen questions from a sectionalised examination paper. The essays will be worth 50% of the overall module mark and the examination 50%. 

Indicative bibliography and key on-line resources – for full details see section D in Module Booklet

L6 Criminal Litigation, Edited by [                          ] ILEX Tutorial College Limited

Blackstone's Criminal Practice 2011, edited by The Right Honourable Lord Justice Hooper, David Ormerod,  Oxford University Press

Westlaw and Lexis Nexis databases

Solicitors Handbook (Code of Conduct):  http://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/handbook/code/content.page
Police and Criminal Evidence Act and Codes of Conduct: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/police/powers/pace-codes/