Criminal & CIVIL Law

This course provides an overview of Canadian jurisprudence with an emphasis on basic procedural rules and substantive concepts relating to both criminal and civil proceedings. Students examine the historical basis of, and the evolution of our legal system from its inception to the present. Significant focus is on our current legal system including legal research; jurisdiction of criminal and civil courts; basic rules for testifying in court; mandatory rules of procedure; classification of criminal offences and the role of the Victim Impact Statement. Students study basic concepts of criminal law including Crown evidentiary obligations and criminal defences, as well as a detailed study of the Charter of Rights and other Human Rights legislation. The course includes an examination of basic civil law principles relating to tort, family, contract and commercial law.