Course

The Canadian Legal System

Faculty
Humanities & Social Sciences
Department
Criminology
Course code
CRIM 1160
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15
Max class size
35
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Typically offered
To be determined

Overview

Course description
This course focuses on the history, development, and present day operation of the Canadian legal system. The topics that will be examined include: constitutional law; criminal, contract, and tort law; human rights; administrative law; the court system; the functions of judges and lawyers; and the basic elements of legal reasoning.
Course content
  1. The Nature of Law
    • Why we have laws, legal philosophy
  2. Introduction to the Legal System
    • Main divisions of law, how to read and cite cases and statutes, the court structures
  3. Sources of Law
    • Historical sources, legal sources, constitutional sources, the legislative process
  4. British Legal Tradition
    • The Canadian reception and acceptance of this tradition, the basis of our constitutional system, the rule of law, parliamentary sovereignty, common law and equity.
  5. The Constitution
    • BNA Act, Statue of Westminster, Canada Act 1982 (U.K.), Constitution Act, 1982, Quebec Legal System.   
    • Constitutional change, Meech Lake Accord, Charlottetown Accord, Quebec Referendum, First Nations Treaties
  6. Canadian Legal Institutions
    • The courts, the role of judges and lawyers
  7. The Basic Elements of Legal Reasoning
    • Precedent and Stare Decisis
    • The process of distinguishing
    • Statutory interpretation
  8. Introduction to Administrative Law
    • Tribunals, procedural fairness, federal and provincial rule-making agencies
  9. The Nature of Tort Law
    • Definition of torts, distinction between tort and crime, categories of torts, the principle of vicarious liability, remedies for tort actions.
  10. The Law of Contract
    • Elements of a contract, remedies for breach of contract
  11. Law Reform
    • alternative methods of dispute resolution, court reforms
Learning activities

The course will employ a variety of instructional methods to accomplish its objectives, including some of the following:  lectures, audio-visual material, group work, library research, guest lectures, seminars and presentations.

Means of assessment

Evaluation will be based on course objectives and carried out in accordance with Douglas College policy.  The instructor will provide a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester.  Evaluation will include some of the following:

  1. Quizzes
  2. Mixed format exams (e.g. multiple choice, essay)
  3. Term papers
  4. Research project
  5. Class participation
  6. Oral presentations

 

An example of an evaluation scheme would be:

Legal Research Assignment           10%
Midterm exam  30%
Term Paper  30%
Final exam  30%
Total 100%
Learning outcomes

At the conclusion of the course the successful student will be able to:

 

  1. Define the major philosophies of law.
  2. Identify how the legal system derives its authority and legitimacy.
  3. Describe the historical development of Canadian law.
  4. Discuss the Canadian Constitution, Canadian legal institutions and the role of judges and lawyers.
  5. Describe how law is made and changed.
  6. Describe administrative law, tort law, and contract law.
  7. Conduct legal research.
  8. Discuss the basic elements of legal reasoning.
Textbook materials

Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students:

Texts will be updated periodically. Typical examples are:

 

Boyd, Neil.  Canadian Law, An Introduction, (latest edition).  Toronto:  Nelson Education

 

Gall, G.  The Canadian Legal System, (latest edition).  Toronto: Carswell

 

Horner, J. Canadian Law and the Canadian Legal System (latest edition). Toronto: Pearson 

 

Requisites

Prerequisites

No prerequisite courses.

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer details for CRIM 1160
Camosun College (CAMO) CAMO CRIM 170 (3)
Capilano University (CAPU) CAPU LAW 101 (3)
Coast Mountain College (CMTN) CMTN CRIM 135 (3)
Justice Institute of BC (JIBC) JIBC LAWS 1204 (3)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU CRIM 1107 (3)
Langara College (LANG) LANG CRIM 1116 (3)
North Island College (NIC) NIC CRM 135 (3)
Okanagan College (OC) OC CRIM 235 (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU CRIM 135 (3)
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) TRU JUST 2350 (3)
Trinity Western University (TWU) TWU GENS 1XX (3)
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) UBCO POLI_O 1st (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) UBCV SOCI_V 2nd (3)
University of Northern BC (UNBC) UNBC SOSC 1XX (3)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV CRIM 1XX (3)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV CRIM 135 (3)
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC SOSC 2XX (1.5)
Vancouver Community College (VCC) VCC CRIM 1160 (3)
Vancouver Island University (VIU) VIU CRIM 135 (3)

Course Offerings

Winter 2025

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
30
Currently enrolled
26
Remaining seats:
4
On waitlist
0
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. B
Room
B2090
Times:
Start Time
11:30
-
End Time
14:20
Section notes

CRIM 1160 001 is a combined section with CRIM 1160 002.

This section is restricted to Youth Justice students.

See Legal Studies (LGST) for other university transferable law and legal system courses.

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
35
Currently enrolled
34
Remaining seats:
1
On waitlist
38
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N4306
Times:
Start Time
18:30
-
End Time
21:20
Section notes

See Legal Studies (LGST) for other university transferable law and legal system courses.

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
5
Currently enrolled
5
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
25
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. B
Room
B2090
Times:
Start Time
11:30
-
End Time
14:20
Section notes

CRIM 1160 002 is a combined section with CRIM 1160 001.

This section is available for general registration students.

See Legal Studies (LGST) for other university transferable law and legal system courses.

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
35
Currently enrolled
35
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
11
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N2203
Times:
Start Time
9:30
-
End Time
12:20
Section notes

CRIM 1160 005 is a combined section with 1160 004

See Legal Studies (LGST) for other university transferable law and legal system courses.

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
35
Currently enrolled
35
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
12
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N2203
Times:
Start Time
9:30
-
End Time
12:20
Section notes

CRIM 1160 004 is a combined section with 1160 005

See Legal Studies (LGST) for other university transferable law and legal system courses.