Foundations of Law: A Custom Publication for The University of Queensland

INTRODUCTION

PART 1: THEORY AND HISTORY

CHAPTER 1: BECOMING A LAWYER

Reading 1:

Judith Jones, Chisholm & Nettheim’s Understanding Law: An Introduction to Australia’s Legal System, 10th ed, 2026, Ch 8 ‘Lawyers’.

CHAPTER 2: INTRODUCTION TO THE AUSTRALIAN LEGAL SYSTEM

Reading 1:

Augusto Zimmermann and Gabriel Moens, Foundations of the Australian Legal System: History, Theory and Practice, 2023, Ch 1 ‘Studying Law’

Reading 2:

Judith Jones, Chisholm & Nettheim’s Understanding Law: An Introduction to Australia’s Legal System, 10th ed, 2026, Ch 3 ‘Main Branches of Law’

CHAPTER 3: WHAT IS LAW?

Reading 1:

Augusto Zimmermann and Gabriel Moens, Foundations of the Australian Legal System: History, Theory and Practice, 2023, Ch 2 ‘What is Law?’

Reading 2:

Judith Jones, Chisholm & Nettheim’s Understanding Law: An Introduction to Australia’s Legal System, 10th ed, 2026, Ch 13 ‘Law and Morality’

CHAPTER 4: RULE OF LAW

Reading 1:

Augusto Zimmermann and Gabriel Moens, Foundations of the Australian Legal System: History, Theory and Practice, 2023, Ch 5 ‘The Rule of Law’.

CHAPTER 5: SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FEDERALISM

Reading 1:

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 3 ‘The Australian Legal System’, 3.1–3.8

Augusto Zimmermann and Gabriel Moens, Foundations of the Australian Legal System: History, Theory and Practice, 2023, Ch 8, ‘The Westminster System’, 8.46–8.69

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 3 ‘The Australian Legal System’, 3.12–3.13

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 3 ‘The Australian Legal System’, 3.16–3.62

Augusto Zimmermann and Gabriel Moens, Foundations of the Australian Legal System: History, Theory and Practice, 2023, Ch 10, ‘The Australian Federal System’, 10.2–10.37

CHAPTER 6: ENGLISH LAWS IN AUSTRALIA

Reading 1:

Augusto Zimmermann and Gabriel Moens, Foundations of the Australian Legal System: History, Theory and Practice, 2023, Ch 3 ‘History of the Common Law’, 3.1–3.47

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 2 ‘The Origins and Historical Development of the Modern Australian Legal System’, 2.13–2.25

Augusto Zimmermann and Gabriel Moens, Foundations of the Australian Legal System: History, Theory and Practice, 2023, Ch 3 ‘History of the Common Law’, 3.64–3.72

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 2 ‘The Origins and Historical Development of the Modern Australian Legal System’, 2.28–2.29

Augusto Zimmermann and Gabriel Moens, Foundations of the Australian Legal System: History, Theory and Practice, Ch 3 ‘History of the Common Law’, 3.48–3.59

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 2 ‘The Origins and Historical Development of the Modern Australian Legal System’, 2.44–2.95

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 4 ‘First Nations Australians and the Australian Legal System’ 4.2–4.22

PART 2: COURTS, CASE LAW AND PRECEDENT

CHAPTER 7: THE COURT SYSTEM

Reading 1:

Judith Jones, Chisholm & Nettheim’s Understanding Law: An Introduction to Australia’s Legal System, 10th ed, 2026, Ch 9 ‘Courts of Law’

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 8 Precedent in Australian Courts’, 8.37–8.58

Reading 2:

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Essential Legal Toolkit A: A.1–A.9

Reading 3:

M J Beazley, P T Vout, S E Fitzgerald, Appeals and Appellate Courts in Australia and New Zealand, 2014, Ch 2 ‘System of Courts and Appeals’

CHAPTER 8: CASE LAW AND PRECEDENT

Reading 1:

Augusto Zimmermann and Gabriel Moens, Foundations of the Australian Legal System: History, Theory and Practice, 2023, Ch 11 ‘Precedent as a Source of Law’ 11.1–11.11

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 7, ‘Case Law and Precedent’, 7.13–7.24

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 8, ‘Precedent in Australian Courts’, 8.59–8.96

Augusto Zimmermann and Gabriel Moens, Foundations of the Australian Legal System: History, Theory and Practice, 2023, Ch 11 ‘Precedent as a Source of Law’, 11.32–11.46

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 7, ‘Case Law and Precedent’, 7.59–7.73

Reading 2:

M J Beazley, P T Vout, S E Fitzgerald, Appeals and Appellate Courts in Australia and New Zealand, 2014, Ch 3 ‘Stare Decisis and Precedent

CHAPTER 9: RATIO DECIDENDI AND OBITER DICTA

Reading 1

M J Beazley, P T Vout, S E Fitzgerald, Appeals and Appellate Courts in Australia and New Zealand, 2014, Ch 4 ‘Ratio Decidendi’, 4.2–4.4

Renato Costa, ‘Neil MacCormick's Understanding of Ratio Decidendi’

Reading 2:

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 7, ‘Case Law and Precedent’, 7.25–7.50

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 7, ‘Case Law and Precedent’, 7.52–7.57

PART 3: PARLIAMENT, LEGISLATION AND STATUTORY INTERPRETATION

CHAPTER 10: PARLIAMENT AND LEGISLATION

Reading 1:

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 9 ‘Legislation’, 9.1–9.104

CHAPTER 11: THEORIES OF STATUTORY INTERPRETATION

Reading 1:

Kath Hall and Claire Macken, Statutory Interpretation: Principles and Context, 2021, Ch 3 ‘Broad Interpretive Approaches’

Reading 2:

Denis Pearce, Statutory Interpretation in Australia, 10th ed, 2024, Ch 2, ‘Approaches to the Interpretation of Legislation’, 2.1–2.39

CHAPTER 12: INTERPRETIVE TOOLS

Reading 1:

Kath Hall and Claire Macken, Statutory Interpretation: Principles and Context, 2021, Ch 4 ‘Intrinsic Guides, Rules and Presumptions’

Reading 2:

Denis Pearce, Statutory Interpretation in Australia, 10th ed, 2024, Ch 2, ‘Approaches to the Interpretation of Legislation’, 2.40–2.68

CHAPTER 13: CONSTITUTIONAL INTERPRETATION

Reading 1:

Augusto Zimmermann and Gabriel Moens, Foundations of the Australian Legal System: History, Theory and Practice, 2023, Ch 13,’ Statutory (and Constitutional) Interpretation’, 13.23–13.60

PART 4: LEGAL SKILLS

CHAPTER 14: LEGAL RESEARCH

Reading 1:

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 16 ‘Legal Research — Approaches and Steps’

CHAPTER 15: LEGAL CITATION

Reading 1:

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 21 ‘Referencing and Citation’

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024. ‘Essential Legal Toolkit B’

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, ‘Essential Legal Toolkit C’

Reading 2:

Ruth Talbot-Stokes, Nemes & Coss’ Effective Legal Research, 9th ed, 2025, Appendix A ‘Legal Citation Quick Guide’

CHAPTER 16: LEGAL WRITING

Reading 1:

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, Ch 20 ‘Legal Writing’

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, ‘Essential Legal Toolkit D’

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, ‘Essential Legal Toolkit E’

David Hamer et al, Laying Down the Law, 12th ed, 2024, ‘Essential Legal Toolkit F’