Legal Studies for VCE Units 3 & 4 Essential Access + Book

Module 1: The legal toolkit

1.1 The VCE Legal Studies course

1.2 Tips for success in VCE Legal Studies

1.3 Tips for success in assessment tasks

1.4 Mastering legal citation

1.5 Legal institutions and bodies

1.6 Careers in the law

Module 2: Introduction to Unit 3 – Rights and justice

2.1 An overview of the Australian legal system

2.2 Criminal law and civil law

2.3 The rule of law

Module 3: Key concepts in the Victorian criminal justice system

3.1 Introduction to the criminal justice system

3.2 Summary and indictable offences

3.3 Key principles of the criminal justice system

3.4 The rights of an accused

3.5 The rights of victims

Review: Key concepts in the Victorian criminal justice system

Module 4: The principles of justice in a criminal case

4.1 The principles of justice

4.2 Victoria Legal Aid (VLA)

4.3 Community legal centres (CLCs)

4.4 Plea negotiations

4.5 The Victorian court hierarchy

4.6 The judge and magistrate

4.7 The jury

4.8 The parties

4.9 Legal practitioners

4.10 Costs, time and cultural differences

Review: The principles of justice in a criminal case

Module 5: Sentencing

5.1 Introduction to sanctions

5.2 The purposes of sanctions

5.3 Fines

5.4 Community correction orders (CCOs)

5.5 Imprisonment

5.6 Sentencing factors

Review: Sentencing

Module 6: Key concepts in the Victorian civil justice system

6.1 Introduction to the civil justice system

6.2 Key principles of the civil justice system

6.3 Factors to consider before initiating a civil claim

Review: Key concepts in the Victorian civil justice system

Module 7: The principles of justice in a civil dispute

7.1 The principles of justice

7.2 Dispute resolution methods

7.3 The Victorian court hierarchy

7.4 The judge and magistrate

7.5 The jury

7.6 The parties

7.7 Legal practitioners

7.8 Class actions

7.9 Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV)

7.10 The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT)

7.11 The courts

7.12 Costs and time

Review: The principles of justice in a civil dispute

Module 8: Remedies

8.1 Introduction to remedies

8.2 Damages

8.3 Injunctions

Review: Remedies

Module 9: Introduction to Unit 4 – The people, the law and reform

9.1 The Federation of Australia

9.2 An overview of Australia's parliamentary system

9.3 Law-making by parliament and courts

9.4 The meaning of the rule of law

Module 10: Law-making powers

10.1 Introduction to the Australian Constitution

10.2 The Commonwealth Parliament

10.3 The Victorian Parliament

10.4 The Crown

10.5 The division of law-making powers

10.6 Section 109

10.7 The High Court and the division of law-making power

Review: Law-making powers

Module 11: Parliament and the Constitution

11.1 The bicameral structure of parliament

11.2 International pressures

11.3 The representative nature of parliament

11.4 The High Court and representative government

11.5 The separation of powers

11.6 The express protection of rights

Review: Parliament and the Constitution

Module 12: The courts

12.1 Introduction to the courts

12.2 Statutory interpretation

12.3 Features of the doctrine of precedent

12.4 Factors affecting court law-making: precedent

12.5 Factors affecting court law-making: judicial conservatism and judicial activism

12.6 Factors affecting court law-making: costs and time

12.7 Factors affecting court law-making: standing

12.8 The relationship between parliament and the courts

Review: The courts

Module 13: Law reform

13.1 Reasons for law reform

13.2 Petitions

13.3 Demonstrations

13.4 The use of courts

13.5 The media and law reform

13.6 The Victorian Law Reform Commission (VLRC)

13.7 Parliamentary committees

13.8 Royal Commissions

Review: Law reform

Module 14: Constitutional reform

14.1 Reasons for constitutional reform

14.2 The process to change the Constitution

14.3 Factors affecting referendum success

14.4 The 1967 referendum

14.5 The 2023 referendum

Review: Constitutional reform

Lisa Filippin

Lisa is a practicing solicitor with over 15 years’ experience working as a private practice and in-house lawyer. She is currently working as a General Counsel in the university sector, leading an in-house legal term and providing strategic senior advice to key leaders. Before working as a solicitor, Lisa taught Legal Studies at Melbourne Girls Grammar and held numerous curriculum and assessment roles with the VCAA (including as Chief Examinator and Chief Assessor).

She has previously been involved in the re-accreditation of the VCE Legal Studies course and is a regular presenter at VCE Legal Studies conferences. Lisa also currently owns and operates Commerce Studies Hub, a highly successful educational services business that provides assessment tasks, trial exams and student masterclasses for VCE Legal Studies and Business Management.

Annie Wilson

Annie is a deeply experienced Legal Studies teacher and author who has been developing curriculum materials for over 35 years. Recently retired from teaching, she previously taught at Camberwell Girls Grammar and Presbyterian Ladies’ College.

Peter Farrar

Peter is a very experienced Legal Studies teacher and author, with over 35 years of experience. He has been teaching at Star of the Sea College since 2008. He is highly skilled at developing a range of learning materials to meet the needs of a diverse range of students and has co-authored over 25 books throughout his career.