MP220K Theory of Law II

Faculty of Law
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Ing. John Altair Gealfow, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. JUDr. David Sehnálek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
JUDr. Bc. Terezie Smejkalová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. JUDr. Mgr. Martin Škop, Ph.D. (lecturer)
JUDr. PhDr. Jakub Valc, Ph.D., LL.M. (lecturer)
Mgr. Dennis Wassouf (lecturer)
Mgr. Ing. John Altair Gealfow, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
JUDr. Michal Malaník, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
JUDr. Bc. Markéta Štěpáníková, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Bc. Linda Tvrdíková, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Dennis Wassouf (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Tomáš Havlíček (assistant)
Guaranteed by
doc. JUDr. Mgr. Martin Škop, Ph.D.
Department of Legal Theory – Faculty of Law
Contact Person: Tereza Buchalová
Supplier department: Department of Legal Theory – Faculty of Law
Prerequisites
MP113Zk Theory of Law I - seminar
Knowledge of Theory of Law I.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
  • Law (programme PrF, PR_) (2)
  • Law (programme PrF, M-PPV) (2)
Course objectives
The course Theory of Law II (Methods and Techniques) leads students to acquire the ability to use the general legal methodology in law-making, law interpretation, law application and legal argumentation. The learner will be familiar with the construction of the most used methods and techniques (law making, law interpretation, jurisprudential work and authoritative application of law) and know the rules of their application. The Theory of Law II course introduces the various methods and techniques used in the different schemes of law-making, interpretation and application (including case law work). It explains the terminology necessary to describe these methods. It is not concerned with the whole field of legal theory but only with the methodology of law implementation (in the broader sense of the term), which is based on knowledge of concepts, structure and system, which are elements contained in the course Theory of Law I, including legal argumentation. The content of the course varies depending on the acceptance of particular techniques by the decision-making practice of the courts in the Czech Republic.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, the student will be able: to work with the concepts of legal language and the specifics of legal language; to use selected techniques of law-making in the legislative process; to describe the methodological aspect of the process of interpretation of law and to distinguish individual methods and techniques concerning the possibilities and limits of their use; to explain the individual steps of the process of authoritative application of law, including subsumption; to identify the general requirements for fact-finding in the process of authoritative application of law; to analyse the structure and content of legal argumentation; to analyse case law and explain the process of its formation.
Syllabus
  • Methods and techniques of law-making. The essentials of formulation in the language of legislation. Techniques of the linguistic process of interpretation of law. Techniques of systematic and logical methods of law interpretation. The use of teleological interpretation. Principles of working with case law and methods of its formation. Methodological aspects of the process of authoritative application of the law; Subsumption as a part of the authoritative application of the law. Principles and procedures in the process of reconstruction of past events (evidentiary proceedings). Methodology of legal argumentation.
Literature
    required literature
  • Schauer. F. Precedent. Stanford Law Review, 1987, roč. 39, č. 3, s. 571-605.
  • Smejkalová, T. a Štěpáníková, M. Jazykové zvláštnosti textů právních předpisů. In Škop, M. et al. Tvorba práva – Empirické studie. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2019, s. 93-128.
  • Wintr, J. Metody a zásady interpretace práva. Praha: Auditorium 2013, s. 45-58, s. 59-100, s. 123-167.
  • Holländer, P. Putování po stezkách principu proporcionality: intence, obsah, důsledky. Právník. 2016, č. 3, s. 261-284.
  • Vašutová, V. Specifika dokazování v odlišných právních procesech. Právní rozhledy. 2011, č. 22.
  • Harašta, J., Smejkalová, T., Novotná, T. a kol. Citační analýza judikatury. Praha: Wolters Kluwer, 2021, s. 9-14; s. 25-33, s. 225-233.
  • Smejkalová, T. Právní věta a ratio decidendi. Jurisprudence, 2012, č. 5, s. 3-8.
  • Škop, M. Některé techniky jazykové metody interpretace práva. Právník. 2017, č. 9, s. 770-782. (https://www.ilaw.cas.cz/upload/web/files/pravnik/issues/2017/9/3.%C5%A0kop_9_2017.pdf)
  • Ondřejek, P. Princip proporcionality a další modely řešení kolizí základních práv. Jurisprudence, 2012, č. 1, s. 13–21.
  • Sobek, T. Argumenty teorie práva. Plzeň: Vydavatelství a nakladatelství Aleš Čeněk, 2008, s. 23-54, 132-143.
  • Kněžínek, J., Mlsna, P., Vedral, J. Příprava návrhů právních předpisů. Praktická pomůcka pro legislativce. Úřad vlády ČR, 2010 (teoretické části, ne příklady).
  • Smejkalová, T. a Malaník, M. Analýza a relevance publika. In Škop, M. et al. Tvorba práva – Empirické studie. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2019, s. 129-154.
  • Smejkalová, T. Judikatura, nebo precedens? Právník, 2019, roč. 158, č. 9, s. 852-864.
  • Kühn, Z. Stanoviska nejvyšších soudů: specifikum středoevropské právní kultury nebo komunistické reziduum? Jurisprudence, 2005, č. 4, 9-10.
  • Bydlinsky, F. Základy právní metodologie. Arbeitspapiere des Forschungsinstituts für mittel- und osteuropäisches Wirtschaftsrecht, 95a. Vídeň: Vienna University of Economics and Business (https://epub.wu.ac.at/3324/), s. 11-15.
Teaching methods
Lectures, seminars, solving examples, simulations.
Lectures are used to introduce theoretical concepts, theories, concepts of methods and techniques used in the general legal methodology.
Seminars serve to deepen the teaching: understanding the material by further explanation, searching for the meaning of particular divisions or limitations that are necessary for law. They help students understand the different parts of legal methodology through their reflections and by discovering the various methods and techniques. The analysis of some court decisions and the solution of practical (concrete) examples and a simulated game of court proceedings are also used for this purpose.
Assessment methods
Attendance with up to one absence is required to complete the course. In the case of another absence, a student must prepare a seminar paper(s) according to the teacher's conditions or meet other requirements. In the case of unexcused absences more significant than 50%, the student will be graded with an X. Students are obliged to prepare for the seminars, familiarise themselves with the relevant materials listed in the interactive syllabus, and solve the assigned examples in the seminar.
As the seminars will involve simulated court proceedings, learners must divide into three working groups and participate in the group work, including contributing to submitting written assignments.
The simulation aims to acquire the ability to apply the theoretical and methodological aspects of law acquired, analyse a specific legal problem, handle it methodologically, and evaluate reality based on the theoretical methodology.
Seminar paper: report of a court hearing. Another condition for successful course completion is preparing a seminar paper (a court hearing notice). The student must participate in a hearing before a court anywhere in the Czech Republic (participation in one hearing is sufficient; it is optional to participate in the entire court proceedings). The student will draw up a record of this hearing with the obligatory structure: identification of the court, identification of the type of proceedings, identification of the stage of the proceedings, date; description of the event: what happened during the hearing (e.g. these events are presented in a reportorial form: it is not about the exact legal grasp and description of the events but about their outward appearance. How the hearing was concluded: how the hearing was concluded (decision to adjourn, adjournment, final judgment or order, etc.) The length of the seminar paper is a maximum of 2 pages (3,600 characters) - depending on the type of hearing or proceedings.
The last condition for proper course completion is a written test of knowledge. The test will consist of 5 open-ended questions reflecting the various topics discussed, including mastery of terminology, ability to reason, combine and certify the ability to use terminology and basic methods. Each answer will be scored 0-4 points. A score of at least 12 (at least 60%) will be required to pass. After failing, the paper may be taken in a maximum of two further attempts.
The test aims to test the ability to remember the elements of general legal methodology, understand the legal methodology, apply the theoretical framework of legal methodology, analyse the methods and techniques of law and evaluate legal methodology.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses

Zobrazit další předměty

The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
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