Introduction to Legal Systems (2235.YR.005669.1)

General information

Type:	BAS	Curs:	1	Period:	S semester
ECTS Credits:	6 ECTS

Teaching Staff:

Group	Teacher	Department	Language
Year 1	Jorge Castiñeira Jerez	Derecho	ENG

Once students are admitted to our undergraduate degree programmes, there are no specific prerequisites or incompatible elements.

This subject shall equip the students with means of understanding the fundamental legal matrices of most of the world's states.

At the courses end students should be able to:

- understand the basic notions and functions of Law and of Legal Systems, whether national, international or transnational
- understand the notion, functions and methodology of Comparative Law
- understand the criteria for classifying legal families and to distinguish them
- analyse in a general way the complex relationship between the two families of Civil Law and Common Law, by highlighting general structural differences and convergence profiles
- reflect on the differences and the analogies between the two main legal models.
- understand in general way the relations between Law, Politics and Economics

1. Course Content The course of Introduction to Legal Systems is a Comparative Law course whose objective is to introduce students to the elements of the main legal families. The Comparative Law methodology is an essential tool for understanding the criteria for classifying legal families and to distinguish them. Students will look into the history and evolution of the Civil Law systems and the phenomena of organization, and codification in the various European realities (Spanish, French, German, Italian). Subsequently, we will analyze the fundamental elements of the English Common Law, from its origins, and the columns represented by the principles of judge makes law and binding precedent. Finally, the final lessons will be devoted to the study of different constitutional systems and the relations between Law, Politics and Economics. Topics. Contents BLOCK I: BASIC NOTIONS OF LAW BLOCK II: COMPARATIVE LAW: HISTORY AND NOTIONS BLOCK III: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE CIVIL LAW TRADITION BLOCK IV: AN INTRODUCTION TO COMMON LAW TRADITION BLOCK V: AN INTRODUCTION TO CONSTITUTIONAL COMPARATIVE LAW BLOCK VI: THE RELATIONS BETWEEN LAW, POLITICS AND ECONOMICS

With the exception of the initial sessions, devoted to the foundations of the current legal order, this course will be eminently practical. The students must be ready to participate in class when required by the professor.

All sessions will depart from a previous reading that will be discussed in class in combination with theoretical explanations. The readings will be provided by the professor in advance.

The students will be required to write at least three reaction papers. The topics of the reaction papers will be assigned by the professor.

Group	Teacher	Department
Year 1	Jorge Castiñeira Jerez	Derecho