General Theory of Law
A.Y. 2020/2021
Learning objectives
The aim of the course is to improve students' capability of comprehension, analysis and critical thinking upon the law in force, and to introduce students to both theoretical and practical skills and abilities, by means of investigating and learning some main legal concepts and their uses and functioning in the domain of law and legal reasoning. In particular, the course will deal with some fundamental concepts such as the concept of norm, legal principles, legal system, validity, sources of law, showing their mutual relations and their effects on some pervasive problems of legal interpretation.
Expected learning outcomes
- Knowledge and understanding of the problems relating to the definitions of the most important legal theoretical concepts, their mutual relations and practical effects
- Ability to apply the tools of conceptual legal analysis to new concepts and issues
- Critical judgment acquired through practical tests
- Development of a communication skill and excellent mastery of legal concepts, acquired through discussions
- Independent learning acquired by managing the main tools of conceptual analysis
- Ability to apply the tools of conceptual legal analysis to new concepts and issues
- Critical judgment acquired through practical tests
- Development of a communication skill and excellent mastery of legal concepts, acquired through discussions
- Independent learning acquired by managing the main tools of conceptual analysis
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Surname A-L
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
The lessons will be held on Microsoft Teams at the established times, and will be recorded and available on the same platform and on the ARIEL website of the course. Information on how to access Microsoft Teams lessons and other teaching instructions will be uploaded to ARIEL website,
which it to be consulted regularly.
If the health situation allows it, in compliance with the current regulations, the lessons can also be held in the classroom (mixed mode); students will be promptly informed via ARIEL website.
Since attending the lessons is not mandatory, all the people who will view the lessons in synchronous mode or, subsequently, in asynchronous mode, will be considered attending-students. Attention: the attending program is different from that of non-attending students.
The procedures for verifying learning and the assessment criteria will not be subject to changes.
The exam will take place orally on the Microsoft Teams platform.
If the health situation allows it, compatibly with the availability of the classrooms and compliance with the necessary safety conditions, the exam will take place in the classroom.
In any case, the possibility of carrying out the exam remotely will be ensured for students who are unable to move to the University.
which it to be consulted regularly.
If the health situation allows it, in compliance with the current regulations, the lessons can also be held in the classroom (mixed mode); students will be promptly informed via ARIEL website.
Since attending the lessons is not mandatory, all the people who will view the lessons in synchronous mode or, subsequently, in asynchronous mode, will be considered attending-students. Attention: the attending program is different from that of non-attending students.
The procedures for verifying learning and the assessment criteria will not be subject to changes.
The exam will take place orally on the Microsoft Teams platform.
If the health situation allows it, compatibly with the availability of the classrooms and compliance with the necessary safety conditions, the exam will take place in the classroom.
In any case, the possibility of carrying out the exam remotely will be ensured for students who are unable to move to the University.
Course syllabus
Objects and methods of general jurisprudence; legal interpretation and its problems; the concepts of provision and norm; the concepts of law; theories of legal norm; the concepts of validity; the concepts of effectiveness and applicability; legal system; coherence and congruence; the problem of legal gaps; the difference between law and morality; the concepts of right; dynamic and static theories of rights; rights and principles.
Prerequisites for admission
There are no specific prerequisites
Teaching methods
Lectures, practical exercises, group discussions
Teaching Resources
Attending students
Bibliography available online (www.ariel.unimi.it), that will be indicated at the first lesson.
Not-Attending students
(1) F. Poggi, Concetti teorici fondamentali, Pisa, ETS, 2013;
(2) G. Pino, Diritti e interpretazione, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010, except chapters 2 e 3.
Bibliography available online (www.ariel.unimi.it), that will be indicated at the first lesson.
Not-Attending students
(1) F. Poggi, Concetti teorici fondamentali, Pisa, ETS, 2013;
(2) G. Pino, Diritti e interpretazione, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010, except chapters 2 e 3.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Attending students: oral exam or (optionally) one intermediate test, consisting of a written report, plus a final oral exam.
Attending students: oral exam
Evaluation criteria: exposition quality; ability to organize knowledge; ability to manage the concepts and methods of conceptual analysis and to apply them to new legal problems.
Attending students: oral exam
Evaluation criteria: exposition quality; ability to organize knowledge; ability to manage the concepts and methods of conceptual analysis and to apply them to new legal problems.
Surname M-Z
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
The lessons will take place on Microsoft Teams in synchronous mode, at the set times, and will be recorded and posted on the same platform and on the ARIEL site of the course. Information on how to access the lessons on Microsoft Teams and other instructions on teaching will be uploaded to the ARIEL site of the course, which is recommended to consult regularly.
If the pandemic situation allows it, in compliance with current precautionary measures, the lessons might also be held in the classroom (mixed mode); in this case, students will be promptly informed and notified via the ARIEL site of the course.
In any case, the lessons will be recorded and be available to the students for the duration of the semester.
The course will alternate different teaching techniques: lectures, seminar method, analysis of legal materials and case solving. It is always active the Forum contained in Ariel.
The program and the reference material of the course are unchanged.
There will be no change in the assessment methods and assessment criteria.
The exam will take place in oral form on the Microsoft Teams platform.
If the pandemic situation allows it and subject to the availability of classrooms and in compliance with the necessary safety conditions, the examination will take place in the classroom. The possibility of carrying out the examination from remote for students who are in the condition of not being able to move from their place of residence and/ or home will be ensured.
More precise indications and updates will be available on the Ariel site of the course, which is therefore recommended to consult regularly.
If the pandemic situation allows it, in compliance with current precautionary measures, the lessons might also be held in the classroom (mixed mode); in this case, students will be promptly informed and notified via the ARIEL site of the course.
In any case, the lessons will be recorded and be available to the students for the duration of the semester.
The course will alternate different teaching techniques: lectures, seminar method, analysis of legal materials and case solving. It is always active the Forum contained in Ariel.
The program and the reference material of the course are unchanged.
There will be no change in the assessment methods and assessment criteria.
The exam will take place in oral form on the Microsoft Teams platform.
If the pandemic situation allows it and subject to the availability of classrooms and in compliance with the necessary safety conditions, the examination will take place in the classroom. The possibility of carrying out the examination from remote for students who are in the condition of not being able to move from their place of residence and/ or home will be ensured.
More precise indications and updates will be available on the Ariel site of the course, which is therefore recommended to consult regularly.
Course syllabus
1st Lesson (2 hours) Introduction to the Course. Legal Method: Theoretical Models and Legal Practice
2nd Lesson (2 hours) Rules and Principles as Legal Concepts and Conceptions, Typologies
3rd Lesson (2 hours) Legal Systems and Orders, Doctrinal and Judicial Activities devoted to Systematization
4th Lesson (2 hours) Concepts and Conceptions of Sources of Law
5th Lesson (2 hours) The Notions of Normative Hierarchy and Competence
6th Lesson (2 hours) Legal Adjudication ("in abstracto" and according to the circumstances)
7th Lesson (2 hours) Legal reasoning, Justification, and Legal Arguments
8th Lesson (2 hours) Arguments based on Principles (Constitutional, Fundamental, Supreme)
9th Lesson (2 hours) Judicial Precedents and their Uses by Upper Courts
10th Lesson (2 hours) The Notion of Interest; Relationships with Principles and Rights, and its Relevance for Legal Practice
11th Lesson (2 hours) Written Q&A Open Test for students who attend lessons
12th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon the Principle "patere legem quam ipse fecisti" in CIEU Case Law
13th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon the decision of the Tribunal of Milan on the possible Application of Article 138 It. Cost. to the Constitutional Reform subject to the Referendum held on 4 December 2016
14th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon case It. Cost. Court no. 32/2014 and the Constitutional Case Law related to the so-called "Appearances of Laws"
15th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon case It. Cost. Court no. 238/2014 on the matter of the International Immunity of States in case of War Crimes
16th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon case It. Cost. Court no. 52/2016 and the System of Sources of Ecclesiastical Law
17th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon case It. Cost. Court no. 286/2016 on the matter of the Attribution of the Mother Surname to Children
18th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon case It. Cost. Court no. 123/2017 and the efficacy of the Strasburg Court decisum on internal res judicata
19th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon the Abuse of Right in Tax Law: the example of the German figure and its influence on the European jurisprudence
20th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon the General Adversary Principle as applied in Tax Proceedings by the "Law in Action"
21th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon case It. Cost. Court no. ord. 184/2017 and its Judicial Precedents concerning the Criminal Law Reserve and the Revival of Repealed Rules
2nd Lesson (2 hours) Rules and Principles as Legal Concepts and Conceptions, Typologies
3rd Lesson (2 hours) Legal Systems and Orders, Doctrinal and Judicial Activities devoted to Systematization
4th Lesson (2 hours) Concepts and Conceptions of Sources of Law
5th Lesson (2 hours) The Notions of Normative Hierarchy and Competence
6th Lesson (2 hours) Legal Adjudication ("in abstracto" and according to the circumstances)
7th Lesson (2 hours) Legal reasoning, Justification, and Legal Arguments
8th Lesson (2 hours) Arguments based on Principles (Constitutional, Fundamental, Supreme)
9th Lesson (2 hours) Judicial Precedents and their Uses by Upper Courts
10th Lesson (2 hours) The Notion of Interest; Relationships with Principles and Rights, and its Relevance for Legal Practice
11th Lesson (2 hours) Written Q&A Open Test for students who attend lessons
12th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon the Principle "patere legem quam ipse fecisti" in CIEU Case Law
13th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon the decision of the Tribunal of Milan on the possible Application of Article 138 It. Cost. to the Constitutional Reform subject to the Referendum held on 4 December 2016
14th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon case It. Cost. Court no. 32/2014 and the Constitutional Case Law related to the so-called "Appearances of Laws"
15th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon case It. Cost. Court no. 238/2014 on the matter of the International Immunity of States in case of War Crimes
16th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon case It. Cost. Court no. 52/2016 and the System of Sources of Ecclesiastical Law
17th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon case It. Cost. Court no. 286/2016 on the matter of the Attribution of the Mother Surname to Children
18th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon case It. Cost. Court no. 123/2017 and the efficacy of the Strasburg Court decisum on internal res judicata
19th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon the Abuse of Right in Tax Law: the example of the German figure and its influence on the European jurisprudence
20th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon the General Adversary Principle as applied in Tax Proceedings by the "Law in Action"
21th Lesson (2 hours) Analysis and debate upon case It. Cost. Court no. ord. 184/2017 and its Judicial Precedents concerning the Criminal Law Reserve and the Revival of Repealed Rules
Prerequisites for admission
Preparatory courses: as per Regulation of the course degrees. In particular, Private Law Institutions and Constitutional Law are considered as preparatory courses,
Teaching methods
The course will have the form of classroom-taught lessons, but the active participation of students will be always stimulated and incentivated, as well as the discussion among them and with the professor. In particular, the second part of the course, which will be devoted to case law analysis, will have a practical and interactive approach and, therefore, a proactive participation of the students will be strongly recommended.
Teaching Resources
Teaching materials: L. Gianformaggio, Filosofia del diritto e ragionamento giuridico, Giappichelli, rist. 2018; S. Zorzetto e G. D'Alessandro (a cura di), Percorsi in tema di fonti del diritto, Giappichelli, Torino, 2017. For those students who attend lessons, the text of judicial decisions to be analysed during lessons will be available in PDF copy in the Ariel page of the course.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Method of evaluation: final exam at the end of the course will be in oral form and the evaluation will be in numbers 18-30/30 cum laude. Students who attend lessons up to at least 80% will have the faculty to sustain the final test alternatively in oral form, or mixed form, writing-oral. In this second option, the student shall take: (i) at the middle of the course, a written test consisting in open Q&A concerning the subject matters illustrated during lessons, and (ii) at the end of the course, an integrative oral test having as object the entire course. In every case, criterions of evaluation will be the correctness and the consistency of the learning matters, the clarity of speech and reasoning, as well as abilities of analysis and critical thinking.
Professor(s)
Reception:
Every day subject to previous appointment by email required
Department / OnLine Teams or by other Platform up to Students' request