Legislative Structure
- Law
- 700 level
- 3 credit units
- 106 pages
- 6 units
This course deals with structuring legislation, focusing on how legislative sentences are structured and linked into a single legislative document. It covers the design of an outline plan for a Bill, including techniques for composing legislative provisions. The course explores methods for organizing rules and provisions to form a complete instrument. It aims to expose students to the process of structuring legislation effectively.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 156 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical, practical
- Practical work
- Yes
- Basic Legal Knowledge
- Understanding of Legal Terminology
- Assignments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of LED709, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
LED709 · MODULE 1
The following provisions illustrate the use of subsections to contain related legal propositions in a single section, of paragraphing to differentiate cases, of the use of more than one section to cover the necessary components of the proposition.
What you should be able to do
- Order legislative sentences into a logical structure.
- Design a legislative plan for drafting a short Bill.
- Make effective use of paragraphing.
- Link legislative sentences into a rational structure.
- Incorporate provisions by reference.
What it prepares you for
- Legislative Drafter
- Legal Advisor
- Policy Analyst
- Parliamentary Counsel
- Government
- Law Firms
- Legislative Bodies
- Regulatory Agencies
- 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 4: Linking Sections
Requires understanding of complex relationships between different sections of a bill and how they interact.
- MODULE 3
Unit 6: How to design a legislative plan
Demands a conceptual understanding of legislative structure and the ability to apply it to practical bill design.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 74 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1MODULE 1
Unit 1: General considerations / Drafting Sections · 3 hours
Read Unit 1: Understand the importance of structuring legislation and the basic characteristics of structuring.. Review guidelines for structuring legislation.. Practice drafting sections..
- Week 2MODULE 1
Unit 2: Using paragraphs · 3 hours
Read Unit 2: Study how paragraphs can help in structuring legislative sentences.. Identify when paragraphing might be used.. Understand factors to bear in mind when drafting paragraphs..
- Week 3MODULE 2
Unit 3: Ordering and linking sentences in a section · 3 hours
Read Unit 3: Understand how sentences should be ordered within a section.. Learn how sentences in a section should be linked.. Study the use of provisos as a linking device..
- Week 4MODULE 2
Unit 4: Linking Sections · 3 hours
Read Unit 4: Study the differences when linking sections.. Learn how sections can be linked.. Understand how cross-references should be drafted..
- Week 5MODULE 3
Unit 5: Dividing Bills · 3 hours
Read Unit 5: Study dividing the Bill into formal groupings of sections.. Understand divisions that are conventionally used.. Identify when division might be of particular value..
- Week 6MODULE 3
Unit 6: How to design a legislative plan · 3 hours
Read Unit 6: Study general considerations in designing a legislative plan.. Understand why the plan is designed before composing detailed provisions.. Learn the advantages a legislative plan provides..
- Week 7MODULE 1
Unit 1: General considerations / Drafting Sections · 4 hours
Review Module 1: General considerations / Drafting Sections. Revise Using paragraphs.
Unit 2: Using paragraphs · 4 hours
Review Module 1: Using paragraphs. Revise Module 1 Self-Assessment Exercises.
- Week 8MODULE 2
Unit 3: Ordering and linking sentences in a section · 4 hours
Review Module 2: Ordering and linking sentences in a section. Revise Module 2: Linking Sections.
Unit 4: Linking Sections · 4 hours
Revise Module 2 Self-Assessment Exercises. Review Module 2: Linking Sections.
- Week 9MODULE 3
Unit 5: Dividing Bills · 4 hours
Review Module 3: Dividing Bills. Revise Module 3: How to design a legislative plan.
Unit 6: How to design a legislative plan · 4 hours
Revise Module 3 Self-Assessment Exercises. Review Module 3: How to design a legislative plan.
- Week 10MODULE 1
Unit 1: General considerations / Drafting Sections · 8 hours
Work on Assignment 1: Structuring Legislative Sentences.
- Week 11MODULE 2
Unit 3: Ordering and linking sentences in a section · 8 hours
Work on Assignment 2: Paragraphing and Sentence Structure.
- Week 12MODULE 3
Unit 5: Dividing Bills · 8 hours
Work on Assignment 3: Designing a Legislative Plan.
- Week 13MODULE 3
Unit 6: How to design a legislative plan · 8 hours
Final Revision: Review all modules and assignments.. Prepare for final examination..
Preparing for the exam
- Create a checklist of things to do or not to do when structuring legislation.
- Review self-assessment exercises and tutor-marked assignments.
- Focus on understanding the relationships between sections and subsections.
- Practice drafting different types of legislative provisions.
- Pay attention to the conventions of syntax and grammar.
Questions students ask about this course
What is LED709 about?
This course deals with structuring legislation, focusing on how legislative sentences are structured and linked into a single legislative document. It covers the design of an outline plan for a Bill, including techniques for composing legislative provisions. The course explores methods for organizing rules and provisions to form a complete instrument. It aims to expose students to the process of structuring legislation effectively.
How many units does LED709 have?
LED709, Legislative Structure, has 6 units across 3 modules, over 106 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is LED709?
LED709 carries 3 credit units, at 700 level in Law.
Is LED709 hard?
LED709 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and practical work, and it has a practical component.
How long does LED709 take to study?
About 156 hours of study, spread across its 6 units.
How is LED709 assessed?
LED709 is assessed by assignments and final examination.
What do I need before starting LED709?
Basic Legal Knowledge Understanding of Legal Terminology
What can I do with LED709?
Legislative Drafter, Legal Advisor, Policy Analyst and Parliamentary Counsel.