TLÜ ÕIS

Society and Law

Course code

AKJ6292.YK

old course code

Course title in Estonian

Ühiskond ja õigus

Course title in English

Society and Law

ECTS credits

6.0

Assessment form

assessment

lecturer of 2024/2025 Autumn semester

Peeter Järvelaid (language of instruction:Estonian)
Aare Kruuser (language of instruction:English)
Mart Susi (language of instruction:Estonian)

lecturer of 2024/2025 Spring semester

Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.

Course aims

- Introduce students to law as both a normative order and a social practice;
- Introduce students to the area of Public Law and to the basic institutions of Civil Law and their interrelationships with an emphasis on Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, European Union Law, Criminal Law, Procedural Law and to the basic principles of civil procedure;
- Develop the student’s ability to understand the linkages between the different branches of public and private law, introduce the basic knowledge and terminology that are needed for the understanding of modern Western legal cultures and use these arguments in the interpretation of legislation and in solving legal problems;
- Initiate students into legal science, i.e., the study of law and legal phenomena.

Brief description of the course

The course begins with a discussion of law as a normative order and progresses into a discussion of legal institutions and practices, law as a societal phenomenon and the discussion of the different legal systems (continental, common law, etc.) of the world.

The division between public law and private law, the basic principles of constitutional law, the central issues constitutional law and administrative law and discussed in detail. The student will acquire on overview of the basic constitutional rights, freedoms and responsibilities of individuals.

The system of civil law is an introduction into private law, the general concepts of private law, and sources of private law. Also discussed are civil law relationships, persons, passive and active legal capacity, transactions (general principles of conclusion of contracts and bases for the creation of contractual obligations), representation, general principles of protection of civil rights, calculation of terms and limitation period for an action.

A comparative overview of the court systems is given including the principles and basic understandings of different court proceedings. The structure of the court system is discussed in detai from the court of first instance, to appellate courts, and lastly, to the court of last resort.

Written assignments will be solved throughout the course.

Learning outcomes in the course

Upon completing the course the student:
- has an understanding of law’s basic functions in modern societies;
- has an understanding of the difference between different legal systems and the branches of law as well an overview of the system of public and private law and civil procedure;
- is mastered basic legal terminology and the ability to use the basic methods of implementing the law, its principles and basic concepts;
- knows how to use and apply the basic knowledge of public law and private law to analyze legal issues and solve legal cases and the student is able to find the information needed to develop positions on legal policy issues;
- is able to develop judicial training options.

Teacher

eesti keeles: Aare Kruuser; inglise keeles: Massimo La Tore jt teised õiguse suuna õppejõud

Study programmes containing that course