University of the West of England • Law

- nature of legal realism - holmes - llwellyn - frank - realism in the caribbean

- dworkin's philosophy of law - theory of constructive interpretation - principles and policies - law as integrity - right answer thesis - hercules - critiques - rule of recognition

- historical background - schools of jurisprudence

- classical positivism - austin's command theory - what is law to austin - laws properly so called - laws improperly so called - critiques

- functions and powers of parliament (law-making, control of executive, etc) - structure of parliament - senates (role, security of tenure, efficacy, senate reform) & relevant cases - parliamentary privileges (what they are, their necessity, their relation to separation of powers and constitutional supremacy)

- meaning of separation of powers - separation of powers in the caribbean - separation of powers or distribution of powers? - the judiciary - parliament/the legislation - the executive - the sentencing function - separation of powers and power to grant bail - ad hominem principle & relevant cases

- meaning of judicial independence - elements of judicial independence (appointment, security of tenure, length of tenure, procedure for removal, security of magistrates, financial security, jurisdiction, etc) and relevant cases

- what is a constitution? - structure of commonwealth constitutions - westminster model - independence - elements of constitutional supremacy (supreme law clause, limits on parliamentary sovereignty, judicial review and redress clause, entrenchment and constitutional amendments) - savings law clauses