JUR101 Legal Method I

The course is connected to the following study programs

• Bachelor's Programme in Law

Teaching language

Norwegian.

Recommended prerequisites

JUR100 Examen Facultatum.

Course contents

The course provides a thorough introduction on how to resolve legal problems in a manner recognised as legitimate by the legal community. This encompasses a thorough examination of the Norwegian legal argument bases. Core principles for the interpretation of these will be discussed, with a particular focus on the interpretation of legislation. Core principles regarding how to derive arguments from the source materials will be reviewed together with the basic principles on how to balance these arguments against each other, including the principles resolving conflict between legal rules.
The course further deals with the reasoning underpinning the Norwegian legal method. The interdependency of legal method and fundamental values related to the rule of law and the Norwegian Rechtsstaat (rettsstat) will be examined, and the students will receive an introduction to the system of legitimacy motivating the recognition of Norwegian legal argument bases.
(Regarding terminology: the Norwegian concept of sources of law is considerably wider than the understanding traditionally associated with this English expression. I therefore use the term legal argument bases to avoid confusion.)

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this course the student should be able to identify, analyse and resolve legal problems by applying the principles of legal method, including:

• describe the legal argument bases which are recognised as legitimate sources of law in Norwegian legal method, and utilise the principles of authorisation (legitimeringssystemet) to explain this recognition.

• communicate the solutions to legal problems to different users, both in an educational and later in a professional context, both nationally and internationally.

• explain how legal method contributes to the protection of core values of the Norwegian Rechtsstaat, such as legal certainty, predictability and equality before the law, in addition to minimising conflict and regulating behaviours.

• reflect critically on the current legal methodology considering among other things the protection of the core values of our legal system, the Norwegian constitutional order and the on-going internationalisation which supplies an ever greater volume of international source materials.

Examination requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 75% participation in the mandatory work requirements. This includes participation in group work, writing and commenting on papers and participation in large groups/seminars. In addition, there will be a requirement of one approved written assignment. Students who fail to fulfill the mandatory work requirements cannot take the exam and will need to retake the course. Further information will be given in Canvas at the start of the semester.

Teaching methods

The teaching methods of this programme are based on the principles of problem-based learning and will include lectures, seminars and an extensive use of group work. In each course students will be divided into groups of about 10 people. Group work will include solving theoretical and practical issues related to the topics discussed in the course. There will be 3-6 written assignments for each course. For handing in and responding to written assignments the students use Canvas, UiA's learning management system.

Evaluation

The study programme manager, in consultation with the student representative, decides the method of evaluation and whether the courses will have a midterm- or end of term evaluation, see also the Quality System, section 4.1. Information about evaluation method for the course will be posted on Canvas.

Admission for external candidates

No

Assessment methods and criteria

4 hour written examination with letter grades.

Reduction of Credits

This course’s contents overlap with the following courses. A reduction of credits will occur if one of these courses is taken in addition:

Course	Reduction of Credits
JUR115 – Legal Method	7.5