Seminar of Legal Methodology

Teacher(s)

Slingeneyer de Goeswin Thibaut;

Language

French

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

The purpose of the course is the study of methods and techniques of legal research, reading and writing. It enables the students to familiarise themselves with the fundamental tools (both computer and “paper” tools) of legal research and to learn how to use the main sources of law which are indispensable prerequisites to the achievement of any personal work in the field of law. At the end of the course, the student must implement these research tools and demonstrate his ability to handle the main sources of law by drafting a synthesis work on a given subject. In concrete terms, to complete the work, the students must search, find, summarise and present in writing the status of the law in force on the given subject. This implies mastering the different “means of access” to legislation, doctrine and jurisprudence, the capacity to effectively use the materials found and then to compare them in order to extract the substance serving as basis to the writing of a personal and original work.

Content

This course is concerned with the use of the main documentary sources of law (legislation, doctrine, jurisprudence), steps of legal research and writing of a paper.

Teaching methods

The students should acquire the “reflexes” (in the libraries and in the computer room) as well as a working method to ultimately succeed in structuring and reproducing their subject in a clear and coherent manner.

From this point of view, we will focus on the legal vocabulary and on the rigour and precision requirements expected by the law, especially with regard to the continuous evolution that characterises it. The students should be able to present on a given subject, the sources of the existing law, both in their work and at the examination.

Evaluation methods

May : Paper
June : oral exam (two source search questions with a computer, one referencing question, and four questions testing theoretical knowledge)
If the paper is not submitted in May, the oral exam will be held in the second session.
If the sanitary conditions do not allow an oral examination in the library, the entire grade will be linked to the paper.

Other information

Syllabus and annexes.

Bibliography

BERNARD N. (dir.), BORN, R., de JONGHE, D., de TERWANGNE, C., MOREAU, P., SLINGENEYER, T., TRUFFIN, B., VAN MEERBEECK, J. et VANVREKOM, S., Guide des citations, références et abréviations juridiques, 6e éd., Bruxelles, Kluwer, 2017.

Faculty or entity

DRTB