Law
Law is a CTYI humanities course available for sessions 1 and 2. Scholarships are available for this course (see Catalog for more info).
Course Description
How many of us know how the law actually works? It’s around us every day, but for many it remains a mystery. Crime scene shows and courtroom dramas give a glimpse of its inner workings, but even they often don’t tell you the full story. This course has that full story. First, it’s about how law is applied in practice today. At the end of three weeks, you will be able to debunk many of the common myths surrounding the law. Is an accused person always innocent until proven guilty? Is DNA evidence as conclusive as it seems? How do judges and juries really come to their conclusions? With this new understanding of how law is in reality, the class will embark on a course long project to design reforms of the law. Next is how law is written down,in legislation, the Constitution, and in books. We will look at all the main areas that students might encounter (like criminal law,tort, and constitutional law) as well as some of the lesser known areas of study, like media law and sports law. Throughout the course there will be a particular focus on the Constitution and the effect the European Convention on Human Rights has on Irish law. The last part of the story shows you how to ‘do’ law. We will develop some of the most crucial skills that any good lawyer needs: opinion writing, case analysis and, of course, your skills of persuasion, which will be honed in the class discussions that form an integral part of the course.
