General Course Information
1.1 Course details
| Course code: | LLAW3232 |
| Course name: | Courts |
| Programme offered under: | LLB Programme |
| Semester: | Second |
| Designated research course: | Not applicable |
| Specialization: | Not applicable |
| Prerequisites / Co-requisites: | No |
| Course offered to non-law students: | No |
| Credit point value: | 6 credits |
1.2 Course description
Many courts around the world are becoming salient actors, but what exactly are courts? And what are they for? This course takes an interdisciplinary approach on politically relevant questions concerning the design and operation of courts. Potential topics include the basic functions of courts; the nature and basis of judicial power; the dynamics between judicial actors and other socio-political actors; the practical effects of judicial review; whether judicial review is counter-majoritarian; the role of courts across different regime types; the challenges of defining and achieving judicial independence; and the ways through which courts expand into the domain of politics. We will also apply what we have learnt to contemporary examples to explore the role that courts play in political systems of different corners of the globe.
1.3 Course teachers
| Name | E-mail address | Office | Consultation | |
| Course convenor | Julius Yam | yamj@hku.hk | CCT 303 | By email |
Learning Outcomes
2.1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this course
CLO 1 Understand the basic functions of courts.
CLO 2 Critically assess courts’ impact on constitutional politics and vice versa.
CLO 3 Apply theories of comparative constitutional studies, judicial politics and judicial behavior to different regime types and real-life examples.
CLO 4 Critically analyze the dynamics between judicial actors and other socio-political actors.
2.2 LLB Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
Please refer to the following link: https://course.law.hku.hk/llb-plo/
2.3 Programme Learning Outcomes to be achieved in this course
| PLO A | PLO B | PLO C | PLO D | PLO E | PLO F | |
| CLO 1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 3 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 4 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Assessment(s)
3.1 Assessment Summary
| Assessment task | Due date | Weighting | Feedback method* | Course learning outcomes |
| Class participation | N/A | 10% | 1, 3, 5 | 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| In-class presentation | TBC | 20% | 1, 3, 5 | 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| Essay | TBC | 70% | 1, 3, 5 | 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| *Feedback method (to be determined by course teacher) | |
| 1 | A general course report to be disseminated through Moodle |
| 2 | Individual feedback to be disseminated by email / through Moodle |
| 3 | Individual review meeting upon appointment |
| 4 | Group review meeting |
| 5 | In-class verbal feedback |
3.2 Assessment Detail
To be advised by course convenor(s).
3.3 Grading Criteria
Please refer to the following link: https://www.law.hku.hk/_files/law_programme_grade_descriptors.pdf
Learning Activities
4.1 Learning Activity Plan
| Seminar: | 3 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks |
| Private study time: | 9.5 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks |
Remarks: the normative student study load per credit unit is 25 ± 5 hours (ie. 150 ± 30 hours for a 6-credit course), which includes all learning activities and experiences within and outside of classroom, and any assessment task and examinations and associated preparations.
4.2 Details of Learning Activities
To be advised by the convenor(s).
Learning Resources
5.1 Resources
| Reading materials: | Reading materials are posted on Moodle |
| Core reading list: | TBA |
| Recommended reading list: | TBA |
5.2 Links
Please refer to the following link: http://www.law.hku.hk/course/learning-resources/