Czech Legal Culture

Syllabus and essential information



course supervisor: Terezie Smejkalová (terezie.smejkalova@law.muni.cz)

lecturers: Terezie Smejkalová, Markéta Štěpáníková

seminars: Wednesdays 18:00 – 19.40


The course will be taught online via MS Teams. Join the Czech Legal Culture (Fall 2020) team via code: 76hvitm

Instructions on how to join MS Team with a code may be found here. 

Should you need any assistance with joining MS Teams, please have look here.

You must use your Masaryk University identity when accessing the team.

1st class will take place on 7 October 2020 in this online classroom starting 18.00 Brno time. Should you have any problems joining the team, please let me know in time via the email above. Looking forward to seeing you soon.


 

Syllabus



7. 10. Introduction; information on course requirements (attendance, assignments, final exam)

14. 10. What is culture? What is legal culture?

21. 10. The basics (Constitution and Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms)

  • Assignment: Discuss a chosen constitutional issue in the Czech legal system and the legal system of your home country and compare and contrast them.

4. 11. 1989: The regime change

11. 11. Historical context: Trial with Milada Horáková

  • Assignment: Discuss the issue of a chosen political trial in a vulnerable period of your country’s history;  with the trial with Milada Horáková  

18. 11.  Legal authorities I.: Texts (aka Sources of Law)

  • Assignment: Discuss the role of case-law in the Czech legal system and in the legal system of cour home country. Compare and contrast.

25. 11. Cases I: Pl. ÚS 27/09 - Shortening the Term of Office of Chamber of Deputies

  • Assignment: Provide summary of the case.

2. 12. Legal authorities II.: People (Judges and Lawyers; ethical standards of their professions)

  • Assignment: Consider the following situation and discuss the ethical aspects of the behaviour in relation to a profession of a judge (and/or other legal profession). A judge is participating in a party during which they end up dancing on the table. Is such a behaviour acceptable for a judge (other legal profession)? Why? In what circumstances would your answer change? Why? Discuss. 

9. 12.  Cases II:  

I. ÚS 2617/15 - Restriction of Judges' freedom of expression

I. ÚS 3018/14 - Scope of Parliamentary indemnity

  • Assignment: Provide summary of a chosen case.

16. 12. Legal authorities III. Who writes the laws/legal texts? (Does legal language produce elites? What are the consequences?)

6. 1. Assignment presentation

13. 1. Final exam

Course requirements
  • Course participation (10 seminars minimum incl. assignment presentation + final exam).
  • Grading:
    • at least 4 out of 6  in-course assignments for seminars marked with A or B (cca 2 pages A4, 12pt, single-spacing, deadline at 12:00 on the day of respective seminar) - relevance 40%
    • exam (2 short essays, timed, open-book, in-class - online) - relevance 60% 

How to prepare for a class?


  • Read the materials in the respective chapter of the interactive syllabus.
  • Is there an assignment? Write it and submit it by 12.00 of the day of the respective seminar.
  • Are there any discussion questions in the seminar chapter? Think about them, we will come to them during the seminar.


Where to look for additional sources to complete the assignments?
Přejít
How to write assignments?
Přejít





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