The Law Day Out for Teachers – Conducting Court Visit Excursions
This course exposes the workings of the criminal justice system in NSW and how; the law operates in society, the importance of the rule of law, the relationship between jurisdictions, the development of law as a reflection of society and influences on the Australia legal system. It fosters a deeper understanding of the intersections between the key elements of the legal system – jurisdiction, judicial decision making, the role of discretion, the role of legal personnel and the outcome of legislative decision making.
Time
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Session Focus
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Activities
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08:45-9:00
9:00-10:00
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- Preparing students for arrival and entry to court building including security screening and court protocols & etiquette. See attached resource
- Meeting with a Senior Judicial Officer
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Participants are:
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Briefed on court etiquette and procedure by facilitator
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Introduced to facilitating court visits with students including discussion of regulations, protocols and security requirements.
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Discuss learning outcomes relevant to court visits
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Conference with a Senior Judicial Officer
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Conduct a Q&A session with Judicial Officer to update teachers on recent case law, judicial thinking and functioning of the legal system in NSW.
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Discuss with the Judicial Officer best practice for teachers when conducting court excursions with their students
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10:00 –11.30
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- Court observations of various Supreme, District and Local Courts cases – mapped to Commerce and Legal Studies syllabuses
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Participants:
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Engage in curated court observations – cases chosen based on relevance to syllabus
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Discuss the application of law, the role of legal personnel in the criminal justice system, law reform and relevant legal theories as applicable to the operation of the court on the day
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Discussion of how to apply the legal knowledge and understanding gained in court observations to improve student learning
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11.30–12:00
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- Travel by foot to District or Supreme Court building/s.
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Participants:
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12:00-13:00
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- Court observations of various District or Supreme Court matters – mapped to Commerce and Legal Studies syllabuses
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Participants:
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Engage in curated court observations – cases chosen based on relevance to syllabus
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Discuss the application of law, the role of legal personnel in the criminal justice system, law reform and relevant legal theories as applicable to the operation of the court on the day
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Discussion of how to apply the legal knowledge and understanding gained in court observations to improve student learning
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13:00 –14:00
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LUNCH
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- Professional Conversations and Travel to Workshop Venue
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14:00 –15:30
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- Workshop with Legal Education professionals
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Participants:
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Receive a guide on how to design and implement their own syllabus relevant experiential learning excursion to the courts for their students – resource attached
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Discuss how to tailor the excursion to their schools regulatory requirements – special needs students, risk assessment documentation, supervision requirements
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Organise the content they have observed during the day into their teaching and learning
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