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LS2532: PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW (2024-2025)

Last modified: 29 Jul 2024 15:16


Course Overview

This course introduces the student to the three core questions of Private International Law:

1) Jurisdiction: when do the Scottish courts have jurisdiction over a dispute that has one or more cross-border elements?

2) Applicable law: which country’s law is applicable to cross-border legal relations and disputes?

3) Recognition and enforcement of judgments: what are the effects of foreign judgments in Scotland?

Throughout the course, students will develop an understanding of how Scots Private International Law deals with legal relations that are not exclusively contained within Scotland. It helps students develop a skillset that will enable them to resolve the questions that arise due to a legal relation or dispute having a cross-border element.

Moreover, the course enables students to appreciate the role Private International Law plays in a broad swath of scenarios, ranging from litigation involving the civil liability of Scottish corporations for wrongdoings committed overseas (such as violations of labour standards), to consumer protection disputes, international child abduction cases, and cross-border inheritance, to give but a few examples.

This is an exempting course for the Faculty of Advocates exam on Private International Law.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 2
Term Second Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr Michiel Poesen
  • Professor Katarina Trimmings

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Either Law (LS) (Studied) or Legal Studies (Ma Honours) (LX) (Studied)
  • Any Undergraduate Programme (Studied)
  • One of Programme Level 2 or Programme Level 3 or Programme Level 4 or Programme Level 5
  • LS1025 Legal System (Studied)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

The course balances selected matters of jurisdiction, choice of law and recognition and enforcement issues. It consists of three thematically organised parts, the precise content of which is adapted to the most recent developments in the discipline:

  • Part I: Exploring a new discipline.

The introductory part to this course helps students understand the issues with which Private International Law is concerned. Particular attention will be given to the discipline’s sources, its historic origins and development, and its interaction with other areas of the law (such as UK public law, public international law, or tax law).

  • Part II: Civil and commercial matters.

In this part, we will deal with the Private International Law relating to general civil and commercial matters. Our focus will be on cross-border contracts and delicts. This part also contains a session dedicated to several case studies that aim to help students gain insight into how Private International Law is applied in real-life cases.

  • Part III: Family matters.

This part addresses the Private International Law issues relating to family law, including issues of child protection, international child abduction, marriage, divorce, and inheritance. Particular attention is given to the Hague Conventions governing these matters to which the UK is a contracting state.


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 50
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback Word Count 1500
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Class Test - Multiple Choice Questions

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 25
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Class Test - Multiple Choice Questions

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 25
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Resit Assessments

Resubmission of failed element

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 100
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
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Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
FactualRememberILO’s for this course are available in the course guide.

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