Legal Studies syllabus, dot point by dot point

criminal investigation processes and police powers in Queensland

How are criminal offences investigated, and what powers do Queensland police have?

the categories of crime in Queensland, including offences against the person, against property, against the state, drug, traffic, public order, and the special category of strict liability offences

How are crimes categorised in Queensland, and how does strict liability fit in?

the criminal trial process and the role of the jury in Queensland

How does a criminal trial proceed in Queensland, and what is the role of the jury?

the elements of a criminal offence under the Criminal Code Act 1899 (Qld), including actus reus and mens rea

What must the prosecution prove to convict an accused person of a criminal offence in Queensland?

the purposes of sentencing and the types of penalties available under the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 (Qld)

How are offenders sentenced in Queensland, and what purposes does punishment serve?

the defences available to an accused person under the Criminal Code Act 1899 (Qld), including self-defence, provocation, mistake of fact and insanity

What defences can an accused person raise to a criminal charge in Queensland?

Unit 2: Balance of probabilities

alternative dispute resolution methods available in Queensland (mediation, conciliation, arbitration) and the role of tribunals (QCAT) and courts

How are civil disputes resolved in Queensland without going to court?

the standard of proof (balance of probabilities) and burden of proof in civil law

What standard and burden of proof apply in a civil claim?

the tort of negligence, including duty of care, breach, and causation

How does the tort of negligence work in Queensland?

the essential elements of a valid contract, including offer, acceptance, consideration, intention and capacity

What makes an agreement a legally binding contract in Australia?

the remedies available in civil law, including damages and equitable remedies such as injunctions and specific performance

What remedies can a court award to a successful plaintiff in a civil claim?

Unit 3: Law, governance and change

section 109 of the Constitution and its operation in concurrent areas of legislative power

How does section 109 of the Constitution resolve inconsistency between Commonwealth and state laws?

the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia, the separation of powers and the division of powers

How does the Constitution structure government in Australia?

the doctrine of precedent and the role of courts in making common law, including binding and persuasive precedent

How do courts make and develop law through the doctrine of precedent?

the influences on law reform, including Law Reform Commissions, royal commissions, parliamentary committees, the media, and individuals

What influences law reform in Australia?

the legislative process and the role of Parliament in making statute law, including the stages a bill passes through to become an Act

How is statute law made by Parliament in Queensland and the Commonwealth?

Unit 4: Human rights in legal contexts

the historical development of human rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, and the two International Covenants of 1966

How did the modern human rights framework develop, and what are its key instruments?

the protection of human rights in Australia, including the Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld) and the dialogue model

How are human rights protected in Australia, and what does the Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld) add?

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How effective is international law in protecting human rights, and why is enforcement so difficult?

the sources, institutions and effectiveness of international law in protecting human rights, including the role of the United Nations

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How does the International Criminal Court prosecute the most serious international crimes?

the operation and effectiveness of the International Criminal Court and the Rome Statute