LW 111: COURTS AND DISPUTES
RESOLUTION 1
ASSESSMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Assessment 1 : Court Observation Report
Due Date : Sunday, 26/3/2023 at 11.30pm.
Weight : 15%
Word Limit : 1000 words
Submission mode : On Moodle in Assignment 1 Portal for your respective study
mode.
Instructions :
1. Visit a local court where you live or study and observe a case that is listed for hearing and
observe the legal process at work.
2. Take a notebook with you to note down your observation.
3. Write a report on what you observed in Court. The Report must be typed in Word document
and the Word document. Completed report is to be uploaded onto the designated portal for
Assessment 2 that will be available on Moodle.
4. Font is to be Times New Roman, Font size is 12 and line spacing is 1.5. The paragraphs are to
be indented
5. You will be provided with questions you can use to guide you put together the content of your
Report. These questions to guide you in your report writing is below. The questions you may
find below.
6. You may go with others, but each student must submit their OWN assignment. Do
not copy another student’s work. Submit your own work.
Notes:
• Find out what time the court sits and arrive a little early.
• You may find a list of cases with courtroom numbers and presiding judges or magistrates in
the court precinct somewhere.
• You may ask the clerk of the court or the registrar if the list exists and where to find it.
• Take your Student ID card in case you’re asked for identification.
• Remember that you’re training to be a lawyer and a member of a respected profession. Please
behave accordingly.
• Dress formally and no wearing of flip flops to Court.
• Don’t eat, drink, smoke, chew gum, wear headphones, sunglasses, caps, listen to music, talk
or text on mobile phones, or talk loudly in the courtroom.
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• Don’t go to any single court in large groups. If you enter while the court is in session, enter
quietly and, at the rear of the courtroom, bow discretely facing the judge or magistrate before
taking your seat.
• Sit quietly to observe.
• Be courteous and respectful to all court staff, lawyers and clients, prosecuting police, etc. Don’t
make unnecessary noise or unnecessarily disturb them.
• Don’t ask them to answer the assignment questions. Switch off your mobile phone.
• Finally, please note that any reports from court personnel about inappropriate behavior will
result in the student(s) concerned receiving a zero (0) for this assignment.
Additional Requirements
• You must attach the Student Plagiarism Cover Sheet as the cover page of your assignment.
• Your Name, Student ID and Campus must appear at the top of each page.
• You should use the Times New Roman font, 12point font, 1.15 line spacing with 2.5 cm margins
on all sides and page numbers.
• This assignment should not exceed 1,000 words (a 1mark penalty applies for every 100 words
or part thereof over the word limit).
• This is a Report and should follow a report style of writing. The language can be semi-formal.
You can use personal pronouns.
• The assignment must comply with the School of Law Referencing Guide.
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ASSESSMENT 1
QUESTIONS TO GUIDE YOU WHEN DOING COURT OBSERVATION:
1. What is the name and location of the court and the parties involved?
• In your answer ensure you include:
o Which court did you visit? When?
o Who were the parties involved?
2. Was it a civil or criminal proceeding? What did the case involve? What was the
outcome of the case?
• In your answer ensure you explain:
o Why you know it was a civil or criminal proceeding?
o What was the case about (the facts of the case)?
o What was the outcome of the case?
3. What are your impressions from your visit?
• Your answer might include:
o Your impressions of the lawyers?
o Your impressions of the judge?
o Did you think that the process was fair?
o Do you agree with any decision made?
o Could the process be improved?
o Your impression of the dispute?
Submission of Assignment
• Emalus Face-to-Face students must submit this assignment using the Emalus Students
Dropbox on Moodle
• Laucala Face-to-Face students must submit this assignment using the Laucala Students
Dropbox on Moodle
• Online students must submit this assignment using the Online Students Dropbox on Moodle.
Requests for Extensions
Students must adhere to the School of Law Late Assignments policy. Request for extensions must be
made in writing to the instructor before the due date with valid reasons for the delay.
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Assessment 2 : Research and Case Analysis using IRAC
Due Date : Sunday, 23/4/2023 @ 11.30pm (Fiji Time).
Weight : 20%
Word Limit : 2000 words
Submission mode : On Moodle in Assignment 1 Portal for your respective study
modes.
Instructions :
1. Go on Paclii or the Law Reports (available in the Libraries) and research a case law for the
criminal charge of murder in either the jurisdiction of Fiji, or Vanuatu. It has to be a Judgment
of the Court for a person charged with the criminal offence of murder. The Judgment must be
from the time periods of 2019 – 2022.
{Note: A Judgment is a decision of the Court after it hears and goes through all verbal and/or
documentary evidences that has been put before it by the State and Defense Counsel during
the hearing of the matter. The Judgment will indicate whether based on the evidence that the
Court has before it, the person is guilty or not guilty}
2. Within the body of your research writing, identify whether you researched using Paclii or a Law
Report, ensure you put the full citation of the case, whether there were any Assessors or Jurors
who presided over the facts of the case, and the name of the Judge.
3. Analyze the case using the IRAC methodology that you would have learnt in this Course.
4. Font is to be Times New Roman, Font size is 12 and line spacing is 1.5. The paragraphs are to
be indented.
5. The completed Assignment is to be uploaded on Moodle in the respective portals for the
different modes of study under Assessment 2: Research and Case Analysis using IRAC before
or by the due date and time.
6. The marking Rubric that we will use for this Assessment is below.
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LW 111: LEGAL RESEARCH AND IRAC ASSESSMENT 2
MARKING GUIDE (20%)
Student:
GUIDELINES MARKING Total Highly Satisfactory Unsatisfact
CRITERIA Mark Satisfactory ory
2.5-3.5
4-5 0–2
LEGAL RESEARCH Able to research and The case identified Have found a case Does not
find a case Judgment /5 fits the on rape, but it is not demonstrate
SUBSTANTIVE CONTENT
on Rape in their requirements of the the Judgment, or understandin
jurisdiction, and the scenario exactly. the student has g of scenario
student is able to The case citation is found a Judgment requirements
correctly cite the case correct. on rape, but citation or was not
used. of the case needs able to
improvement correctly
provide the
citation of the
case.
Highly Satisfactory Unsatisfact
USING THE IRAC Satisfactory ory
5-7
METHODOLOGY
8 - 10 0-4
Precise, clear and Student was concise Student was only Student was
appropriate use of /10 in using the written able to identify and only able to
IRAC. advocacy discuss in detail two identify and
methodology of or three of the discuss well
IRAC well when components of one, or was
discussing the IRAC when not able to
Judgment of the discussing the discuss well
Court in the Case Judgment of the any of the
identified. Court in the Case components
identified. of IRAC when
discussing
the Judgment
of the Court
in the Case
identified.
LANGUAGE USED AND Highly Satisfactory Unsatisfact
FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS Satisfactory ory
2.5 - 3
4-5 1-2
Precise, clear and /5 Language and Language and Multiple
appropriate language grammar correct grammar mostly language and
used. Plain English. without errors. correct. Document grammar
5
Applies Drafting Document language language errors.
Techniques and precise, considers appropriate for Contains
followed instructions audience and easy audience and inconsistenci
on font, font sizes to read. coherent. es and
and line spacing. ambiguity.
Well drafted and Document sufficient
sufficient standard to serve its purpose Document
for the profession. but only in a basic not of
manner. sufficient
Student followed
standard for
the instructions on
profession
font, font size and
Student did not and student
line spacing.
follow all the did not follow
Student stayed instructions in instructions.
within the word regards to font, font
limit. size and line
spacing. Student did
not follow all
the
instructions
in regards to
font, font size
and line
spacing.
FINAL TOTAL
/20
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Assessment 3 : Tutorial or Online Forum Participation
Weight : 15%
Due Date : Weekly
Instructions : As per below
F2F Students
To be eligible to sit the final exam, face to face students are required to attend and/or
participate in at least 60% of the F2F Tutorials.
You have to be actively contributing to the discussions.
Bring a printed copy of your tutorial answers to class each week and a red pen.
If you do not bring a copy of your answers, it will be understood that you have not prepared
for class and you will not receive full marks for participation, even if you contribute verbally.
Online Students
Online students will be assessed weekly on the quality of your tutorial activity submissions.
Online students’ tutorial submissions will be graded. A separate contribution/discussion forum
will also be created for online students. Participation in the discussion forum is encouraged,
as it is a wonderful learning tool. Detailed instructions for online students on how the tutorials,
discussion forum and other assignments are to be done will be provided on Moodle. Online
students are urged to review these instructions carefully, in addition to instructions provided
in the Course Guide.
The marking Rubric that we will be using is below.
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Marking Criteria for Assessment 3:
LW 111 - Tutorial and Forum Participation Guide
Criteria Standards of Performance
Exceptional Superior Average Poor Unsatisfactory
Performance Performance
(12-15 marks) (3-4 marks) (0-2 marks)
(8-11 marks) (5-7 marks)
Tutorial High quality Regular Little Inconsistent Participation
preparation participation preparation. indication of preparation. virtually non-
and based upon Either a lot of preparation. Misses the existent.
participation thorough participation of Limited active point to
Little, if any,
preparation. variable quality participation questions.
preparation
or less in
Evidence of a Answers apparent. Unable to
participation discussions.
clear are unclear, answer questions or
but good
understanding of Generally disjointed, to clarify vague or
quality.
issues. High needs and ambiguous answers.
analytical skills. Demonstrates prompting illogical.
Obvious lack of
Able to cross reasonable in order to No
commitment
relate issues comprehension be able to apparent
where of issues. answer attempt to
necessary. questions. relate
Able to clarify
issues
Evidence of responses if Concepts
together.
capacity to requested. and principles
develop may not be
innovative fully grasped
answers. or clearly
explained.
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