LAW 231A/B : Law of Torts

Law

2024 Semester One (1243) / Semester Two (1245) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

The general principles of civil liability for non-consensual wrongs. The principles of liability applying to selected torts, including the intentional torts such as: assault, battery, false imprisonment, intentionally inflicting emotional distress, trespass to land, wrongs to goods, negligence, strict liability, nuisance and defamation. The law relating to compensation for personal injury.

Course Overview

There are numerous torts, not all of which can be covered. The emphasis is on those torts that best illustrate the general principles and which arise most frequently in practice.

Approximately one half of the course is devoted to the law of negligence. This tort is the principal means by which the law provides compensation for loss caused by another’s carelessness. A study is made of the essential features of the tort: the duty of care, breach, issues of causation, foreseeability, remoteness of damage - and then its application in specific instances is considered.

Other torts that are covered include the land-based torts and the intentional torts of assault, battery, and false imprisonment and the related torts of intentional infliction of emotional distress, privacy, and defamation.

Course Requirements

Corequisite: LAW 298 or 299 To complete this course students must enrol in LAW 231 A and B

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Laws

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Identify and apply the core concepts, principles, doctrines, rules, major academic debates, approaches, methodologies, and conceptual tools of New Zealand tort law, and of the values to which they give expression. (Capability 3.1, 3.2 and 4.2)
  2. Identify and analyse the nature and function of tort law, and the role(s) it performs in the ordering and functioning of the wider social system; the relationship of tort law to other areas of law (such as contract, restitution, property, and equity). (Capability 1.2 and 3.1)
  3. Access, identify, articulate, apply and evaluate legal reasoning and principles to specific issues of tort law. (Capability 3.2, 4.1 and 4.2)
  4. Reflect critically on issues of principle and policy raised by the current law of tort, and consider whether reform is desirable. (Capability 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1)
  5. Develop and apply insights into the judicial process to help answering novel problem questions in tort law. (Capability 4.2 and 5.1)
  6. Create and communicate clear, principled and reasoned arguments pertaining to the law of torts, derived from your learning and rational inquiry. (Capability 6.1 and 8.1)
  7. Explore ways that Tort law regulates private relationships to promote sustainable communities. (Capability 2.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Multiple Choice Quiz 10% Individual Coursework
Essay 20% Individual Coursework
Moot 10% Individual Coursework
Final Exam 60% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Multiple Choice Quiz
Essay
Moot
Final Exam
1) Multi-choice Test 10% – The multi-choice test will provide an opportunity for early feedback to students.
2) Take-home Assignment 20% (1200 words) – This assignment requires students to identify and apply legal principles to a problem scenario that raises legal issues and provide a reasoned conclusion. The word limit of 1,200 words (including footnotes) must be adhered to and will be strictly enforced. If it is not adhered to a marking penalty will apply. See the Guidelines in the Undergraduate Student Handbook.
3) Moot / Presentation (10%) – The moot will consist of a problem question where students will identify legal issues, construct an argument using legal reasoning and precedent and present those arguments orally in a mock court setting. 
4) Final Exam (60%) - The final examination will be two hours. More information TBA. 

Workload Expectations

This is a 30-hour course, run over two semesters. 

For Semester 1, 2024, Law 231A amounts to a 15-point course with around 36 hours of lectures. 

For Semester 2, 2024, Law 231B amounts to another 15-point course with around 36 hours of lectures. 

As a general guide, you should expect a workload of three hours outside of the classroom for each hour spent in class. The guideline for the total workload for this course is 150 hours per semester, 300 for the year. 

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities, including tutorials and a moot/presentation, to complete components of the course.

Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings.

Attendance on campus is required for the exam.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

The teaching team will take into account SET feedback received in the preparation of future torts classes. 

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

The use of generative artificial intelligence software packages (including but not limited to ChatGPT, StudocuAI, Microsoft Bing, and Google Bard) is not permitted in any way whatsoever, without exception, for the preparation, drafting, or completion of any assessments in this course.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course director, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a Student Academic and Support Adviser as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 31/10/2023 10:30 a.m.