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LED702

Legislative forms and arrangement of Provisions

  • Law
  • 700 level
  • 3 credit units
  • 184 pages
  • 12 units

This course deals with a series of provisions that are usually found at the beginning of a Bill. It also deals with matters that are closely connected with two of the topics examined in the preliminary provisions: interpretation provisions and application provisions. The aim of this course is to help you become familiar with the way preliminary provisions are dealt with in Nigeria and to compare our local practice with developments elsewhere. This course should take you about 15 weeks to complete.

About this course

Difficulty
Intermediate
Study hours
195 hours
Maths
None
Content
Theoretical, practical, case study
Practical work
Yes
Before you start
  • Basic Legal Knowledge
  • Understanding of Nigerian Legal System
How it is assessed
  • Assignments
  • Tutor Marked Assignments
  • Final Examination

One paragraph, so you can see how it reads

LED702 · UNIT 1: DRAFTING PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS

This unit describes briefly the conventional arrangement of preliminary provisions and technical apparatus that commonly appears at the beginning of legislation. Some of these are features that you must provide as a matter of course; others you can introduce to facilitate the use of the instrument.

What you should be able to do

  1. Draft preliminary provisions for a Bill.
  2. Provide appropriate definitions for a Bill.
  3. Draft appropriate application provisions.
  4. Explain the purposes words of enactment serve.
  5. Describe how words of enactment are dealt with.
  6. Explain the purposes a short title serves.

What it prepares you for

Careers
  • Legislative Drafter
  • Legal Counsel
  • Policy Analyst
  • Parliamentary Counsel
  • Legal Advisor
Where it is applied
  • Government
  • Law Firms
  • Legislative Bodies
  • Regulatory Agencies
  • International Organizations
Tools
  • Word Processing Software
  • Legal Research Databases

Where it gets hard

The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.

  • Module 2:

    Unit 3: The syntax of definitions & drafting interpretation provisions

    The syntax of definitions requires a strong understanding of grammar and legal language, making it difficult to grasp for those unfamiliar with these concepts.

  • Module 3:

    Unit 3: Temporal Application

    Temporal application involves understanding the complexities of retrospective and prospective legislation, which can be challenging to apply in practice.

A suggested way through it

Suggested

13 weeks, about 21 hours in total. Yours will differ.

  1. Week 1Module 1:
    • Unit 1: Drafting Preliminary Provisions · 1.5 hours

      Read the introduction to drafting preliminary provisions.. Understand the matters included in preliminary provisions in Nigeria.. Familiarize yourself with editorial material accompanying legislation.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..

  2. Week 2Module 1:
    • Unit 2: How to draft long titles and preambles · 1.5 hours

      Study the purposes of long titles and preambles.. Learn how to draft long titles.. Learn how to draft preambles.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 2..

  3. Week 3Module 1:
    • Unit 3: How to draft words of enactment and short title · 1.5 hours

      Understand the purpose of words of enactment.. Describe how words of enactment are dealt with.. Explain the purposes a short title serves.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..

  4. Week 4Module 1:
    • Unit 4: How to draft commencement and duration provisions · 1.5 hours

      Understand the purposes of commencement provisions.. Learn how to draft commencement provisions.. Understand the purposes of duration provisions.. Learn how to draft duration provisions.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..

  5. Week 5Module 2:
    • Unit 1: Interpretation clauses and use of definitions · 1.5 hours

      Differentiate between a definition and an interpretation provision.. Describe where interpretation provisions should be placed in a Bill.. Explain the use of definitions.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..

  6. Week 6Module 2:
    • Unit 2: Composing labeling and stipulative definitions · 1.5 hours

      Draft a labeling definition.. Compose stipulative definition.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 2..

  7. Week 7Module 2:
    • Unit 3: The syntax of definitions & drafting interpretation provisions · 1.5 hours

      Explain the syntax of definitions.. Draft interpretation provisions.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 2..

  8. Week 8Module 3:
    • Unit 1: Purpose Clauses · 1.5 hours

      Understand what a purpose clause is.. Learn what purposes a purpose clause serves.. Learn how a purpose clause should be drafted.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..

  9. Week 9Module 3:
    • Unit 2: Application Clauses · 1.5 hours

      Determine when an application provision is needed.. Draft application clauses.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 2..

  10. Week 10Module 3:
    • Unit 3: Temporal Application · 1.5 hours

      Apply provisions to circumstances already in force.. Draft retrospective provisions.. Draft saving provisions.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 2..

  11. Week 11Module 3:
    • Unit 4: Provisions binding the state · 1.5 hours

      Decide when to use provisions that bind the state.. Draft appropriate provisions binding the state.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..

  12. Week 12Module 3:
    • Unit 5: Extra-territorial extension · 1.5 hours

      Decide when to give legislation extra-territorial force.. Draft appropriate provisions giving legislation extra-territorial effect.. Complete Self-Assessment Exercise 1..

  13. Week 13All Modules
    • Final Revision · 3 hours

      Revise all course materials.. Review all self-assessment exercises.. Prepare for final examination..

Preparing for the exam

What to do
  • Review all Tutor Marked Assignments (TMAs) and their feedback to identify areas of weakness.
  • Create concept maps linking the different types of preliminary provisions (long titles, preambles, etc.) to their functions.
  • Practice drafting different types of interpretation clauses (definitions, inclusions, exclusions) for various legal terms.
  • Focus on understanding the principles behind application clauses and how they affect the scope of legislation.
  • Study past exam papers to familiarize yourself with the question formats and time management.
  • Pay special attention to the units on temporal application and extra-territorial extension, as these often involve complex legal reasoning.
  • Create flashcards for key legal terms and definitions to aid memorization.
  • Allocate specific time slots for revision each day in the weeks leading up to the exam.
  • Join study groups to discuss challenging concepts and share insights with fellow students.
  • Prioritize understanding the core principles over memorizing every detail, as the exam may require applying knowledge to novel scenarios.

Questions students ask about this course

What is LED702 about?

This course deals with a series of provisions that are usually found at the beginning of a Bill. It also deals with matters that are closely connected with two of the topics examined in the preliminary provisions: interpretation provisions and application provisions. The aim of this course is to help you become familiar with the way preliminary provisions are dealt with in Nigeria and to compare our local practice with developments elsewhere. This course should take you about 15 weeks to complete.

How many units does LED702 have?

LED702, Legislative forms and arrangement of Provisions, has 12 units across 3 modules, over 184 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.

How many credit units is LED702?

LED702 carries 3 credit units, at 700 level in Law.

Is LED702 hard?

LED702 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, practical and case study work, and it has a practical component.

How long does LED702 take to study?

About 195 hours of study, spread across its 12 units.

How is LED702 assessed?

LED702 is assessed by Assignments, Tutor Marked Assignments and Final Examination.

What do I need before starting LED702?

Basic Legal Knowledge Understanding of Nigerian Legal System

What can I do with LED702?

Legislative Drafter, Legal Counsel, Policy Analyst, Parliamentary Counsel and Legal Advisor.

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