Course Catalogue

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An elective course within the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice. The course follows on from the core Civil Litigation course and is designed to equip students with advanced professional skills for practising civil litigation in Scotland.

7 x 1 hour lectures

8 x 2 hour tutorials

2 x 3 hour tutorials 

Mandatory Entry Requirements

Civil Litigation

Recommended Entry Requirements

None

None

None

Assessment

1. Tutorial preparation, performance and participation 20%

2. Debate Submission 40%

3. Written note of appeal 40%

Not available for reassessment

1: (20%).Tutorial. preparation, performance and participation

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

The aims of the course are:

1. To provide students with an advanced understanding of the various systems of civil dispute resolution in Scotland;

2. To develop advanced analytical problem solving skills through a detailed examination of the civil remedies available in the Scottish courts;

3. To develop organisational and analytical skills by a detailed analysis of the purpose and format of written civil pleadings;

4. To develop the advanced oral advocacy skills necessary across a range of court hearings, such as motions, debates, proofs and appeals;

5. To develop skills of critical analysis skills to defend and attack written pleadings in a legal debate;

6. To develop the organisational skills required to prepare for, and the advocacy skills required to conduct, an evidential court hearing with witnesses.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Compose fluent and concise written pleadings and know the purpose of different civil remedies available in the Courts;

2. Prepare written legal arguments, know when and how to debate the relevancy of a case, and know how to conduct a legal debate;

3. Use the oral advocacy skills required to prepare for and conduct an evidential hearing, to examine witnesses, to negotiate a settlement, and to make oral submissions to a Court;

4. Demonstrate a detailed and practical understanding of the process and mechanics of civil dispute resolution.

Attendance at tutorials is compulsory. Credit will be refused if a student fails to attend a tutorial without good cause.

The requirements for the award of the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice is 120 credits

(a) candidates to achieve a grade D or better in all courses.

(b) candidates to achieve a grade D or better in each component part of each course.