Torts

This course introduces students to the evolving role of tort law in addressing the complex challenges of the 21st century, with a particular focus on climate justice, social justice, and global justice. Torts introduces students to the law in relation to civil wrongs, and the rights and remedies available to people who are affected by the actions of a tortfeasor. The course will provide students with a foundational overview of the law of torts, focussing on the tort of negligence and representative range of other torts such as nuisance, trespass and defamation. Students will engage in case reading and basic interpretation and application of legislation to consolidate these legal principles. In addition to traditional tort law concepts, students will explore the evolving role of torts in addressing contemporary challenges related to climate justice, social justice, and global justice. They will examine how tort law principles can be applied to hold individuals, corporations, and governments accountable for actions that contribute to climate change, social inequity, and global injustice. Through case studies and discussions, students will analyse the potential and limitations of tort law as a tool for promoting environmental sustainability, social equality, and global fairness. This course will introduce students to, and allow them to develop, the important skill of legal problem solving, where the law is applied to hypothetical problem situations to provide an answer which is reasoned and justified in law. This replicates what lawyers do in practice and prepares students to think critically about the role of tort law in advancing justice in the 21st century. Torts is a compulsory course which addresses the mandatory requirements for Torts for accreditation purposes while also providing students with a forward-looking perspective on the field and its potential to promote justice in the 21st century. By the end of the course, students will have developed a solid foundation in tort law principles, as well as an understanding of how these principles can be adapted and applied to address contemporary challenges.