LAW4177 Introduction to family law
Faculty of Law
LAW4177 Introduction to family law is a level 4, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Law, offered in 2020 in Summer A at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2020
- Summer A
- Clayton
- Assessment
- Exam 50%
- and 1 other task
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2020 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before LAW4177
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
After LAW4177
No unit lists LAW4177 as a prerequisite in the 2020 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Prerequisite:
- For students who commenced their LLB (Hons) course in 2015 or later: LAW1111; LAW1114; LAW2101; LAW2112; LAW1112; LAW1113; LAW2102; LAW2111
- For students who commenced their LLB course prior to 2015: LAW1100 OR LAW1101 and LAW1102 or LAW1104 AND LAW2101 and LAW2102 and LAW2201 and LAW2202
Corequisite:
- For students who commenced their LLB (Hons) course in 2015 or later: LAW3111; LAW3112
Overview
This unit gives students an understanding of the fundamental principles and concepts in Family Law. Topics include:
- the family - history and the concept of 'the family'
- practising family law - professional and ethical challenges and courts jurisdiction;
- marriage and divorce - obligations created by marriage
- dividing property under the Family Law Act - principles relating to property division between married couples and those living in a de facto relationship
- children's rights and parental responsibilities - the Family Law Act relating to parental responsibility and parenting orders
- family support spousal maintenance and child support.
Offerings in 2020
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Summer semester A | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Examination50%
- Research Assignment (2500 words)50%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
comprehend and explain the essential concepts and policies underlying the Australian family law system including the broader context in which the system operates.
- 2
critically evaluate the challenges and debates surrounding family law including the ethical debates and professional responsibilities facing family lawyers.
- 3
identify, analyse and critically comment on disputes between parties to a marriage or parties in a de facto relationship involving issues of property, children and maintenance.
- 4
demonstrate reasoning skills and professional judgement which generate appropriate responses to complex statutory problems.
- 5
communicate effectively appropriately and persuasively on issues pertaining to family law.
- 6
learn and work autonomously and collaboratively and use feedback to improve their own capabilities and performance.
Workload and teaching
- Lectures36 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcome for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
Learning resources
Required resources
See the Moodle unit page for prescribed and recommended resources. Prescribed texts are usually available for purchase through the University Bookstore and are sometimes available for short-term loan or as eBooks through the library.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Associate Professor Adiva Sifris
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for LAW4177?
LAW4177 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is LAW4177 offered?
In 2020, LAW4177 runs in Summer A at Clayton.
How much work is LAW4177?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does LAW4177 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 50% of the final mark, alongside 1 other task.