Course Descriptions & Syllabi
LEG 101: INTRODUCTION TO LAW
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Prerequisite: None
This course gives a general overview of law and legal systems. It covers the nature and sources of law, court systems, and the substantive areas of constitutional law, contracts, torts, criminal law, contracts, agency, and property. This course is geared towards providing students with the basic knowledge of all aspects of the law, critical legal thinking, and a comparative approach to the civil and common law systems. This course is a prerequisite for all other Law courses.
LEG101/3: INTRODUCTION TO LAW (non-law students)
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Prerequisite: None
This course gives a general overview of law and legal systems. It covers the nature and sources of law, court systems, and the substantive areas of constitutional law, contracts, torts, criminal law, contracts, agency, and property. This course is geared towards providing students with the basic knowledge of all aspects of the law, critical legal thinking, and a comparative approach to the civil and common law systems. This course is a prerequisite for all other Law courses.
LEG 102: ROMAN LAW
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Prerequisite: None
This course will examine the Roman legal system as the historical origin of the modern civil law systems of continental Europe. The course will also focus on the relationship between the Roman legal system and the social, economic, and political aspects of Roman life within which that system operated. Topics covered, with varied emphases, will include: the history of Roman legal institutions and sources of law from the Twelve Tables to Justinian; procedure; the law of persons, contracts, delicts, and property; and Roman legal method.
LEG 103: INTRODUCTION TO THE CZECH LEGAL SYSTEM
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Prerequisite: None
This course analyses the development of Czech law and state administration from the 10th century until 1989. It also discusses current trends in the legal system. Topics include early law, sources of law, history of Czech law, Austrian legal development, and Czechoslovak law. Students will gain insight into the relationship between the developments in the main branches of law in Austria as compared to the developments in Czechoslovakia.
LEG 121: LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING
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Prerequisites: LEG 101
The course focuses on legal reasoning and analysis as used by lawyers and judges to argue and decide litigated cases, as well as to advise clients. This course will be largely taught as a workshop on the development of legal analysis, research, writing, counselling, and oral advocacy skills in simulated case settings. Students also learn research and writing skills required for legal practice including the use of computers for communication, legal research, and information management. During the course all students analyse case files, perform legal research assignments, write and revise research memoranda, briefs, and client opinion letters, and present an oral argument.
LEG 122: CRIMINAL LAW
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Prerequisite: LEG 101
This course considers the basic themes of substantive criminal law, including criminal responsibility, the significance of act, intent, causation and result, justification and excuse, and the rationale of punishment. General doctrinal principles of the criminal law and illustrative crimes are studied, usually including the following topics: defences, insanity, attempts, conspiracy, and aspects of the law of homicide and rape. The course considers also constitutional principles of criminal justice. Among the topics that may be studied are search and seizure, the privilege against compulsory self-incrimination, the right to counsel, aspects of trial, and sentencing.
LEG 123: PROPERTY LAW
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Prerequisite: LEG 101
A general introduction to the law governing all types of property, especially the law of land is given in this course. The course will cover both beneficial and commercial interests and will take into account the practical implications of modern tax and planning legislation
LEG 201: CONTRACTS
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Prerequisite: LEG 101
Students will examine the requirements for formation of contracts, including offer, acceptance, and the common-law doctrine of consideration; contractual capacity; fraud; interpretation; performance; remedies; and third-party rights.
LEG 202: LAW OF TORTS
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Prerequisite: LEG 101
This course concerns the legal protection afforded in civil proceedings against interference by others with security of one's person, property or intangible interests. Three fundamental theories of liability emerge: intentional interference, negligence and strict liability. The influence of these theories is studied in the context of recognized categories of tort liability, particularly assault, battery, false imprisonment, negligence, trespass, nuisance, product liability, and defamation. This course will be taught from a comparative perspective, with an emphasis on understanding the difference between common and civil law approaches.
LEG 212: CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
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Prerequisites: LEG 101
This course is designed to equip students with the knowledge of the genesis of constitutional law and its evolution: The course covers the various types of systems - unitary, federal, and regional; separation of powers; checks and balances; and the relationship between international and national law.
LEG 222: CIVIL PROCEDURE
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Prerequisites: LEG 101
This course gives a comparative overview of civil procedure as a method of authoritative settlement of private disputes. Practical aspects of civil procedural norms, institutes, instruments and techniques will be illustrated on examples mainly from UK, US, Czech and Dutch law (comparative explanations will contain also examples from Germany, Australia, China and other countries) and backed by proper theoretic understanding of the system and its components. After passing the course, students should be able to operate with basic elements of civil procedural law, analyze civil disputes and take their own legal research on particular practical problems relating to civil disputes.
LEG 271: LEGAL PHILOSOPHY
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Prerequisite: None
What exactly is law, where does it come from, what are its prerequisites, and what are its limits? In this course we will examine law from several different angles in order to see what it is made of. Using a philosophical approach, we will consider the nature and sources of law; the distinctive characteristics of Western legal systems; the complicated interplay between law and war and law and justice; the use and abuse of legal argument to advance political agendas; and the unique characteristics of legal writing and legal argument
LEG 291: EUROPEAN UNION LAW
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Prerequisites: LEG 101
This course focuses on the institutions of the EU and the effects of membership on member state domestic laws. This course is designed to equip students with the basic knowledge of the EEC/EU Law, the benefits and drawbacks of membership in the EU. The course will provide students with a synopsis of the basis for relevant EU treaties, protocols and agreements, court decisions, consideration of the structures and functions of the EU institutions, and substantive regulation. Topics also include free movement of goods and persons, unfair competition, environmental provisions, social and human rights provisions, and commercial policy.
LEG 302: CONSUMER PROTECTION LAW
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Prerequisites: LEG 101, LEG 291
Students will become familiar with the theory and practice of regulation of consumer markets in the US and EU with specific reference to consumer rights protection in the Czech Republic. Topics such as unfair terms in consumer contracts, deceptive and unfair commercial practices, product safety, consumers' claims and sales returns, liability of producers and sellers, and protection of consumers in specific transactions (timesharing, distance selling, electronic commerce, etc.) will be thoroughly analyzed using relevant statutes and case-law.
LEG 311: LABOUR LAW AND DISCRIMINATION
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Prerequisite: LEG 101
This course is a critical examination of the legal framework governing relationships among unions, employers, and employees. The major focus will be on the private sector under the Czech Labour Code, as well as the American National Labor Relations Act and the Taft-Hartley Act. Principal topics will be: protection of the rights of employees to join unions and to engage in concerted activities or to refrain from doing so; acquisition and loss by unions of bargaining representative status; conduct and consequences of collective bargaining; strikes, lockouts, and other economic pressures by unions, employers, and employees; and administration and enforcement of collective bargaining agreements.
LEG 313: TRUSTS
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Prerequisites: LEG 101, LEG 123, LEG 201
This module introduces the fundamental concepts of what constitutes a trust, what kinds of trusts may be created or which may arise and how they are created or arise; what powers are held by, and what duties may be imposed upon, trustees of express trusts; and what remedies will be available when a breach of trust occurs. The aim of the course is to introduce students to the nature and role of the law of trusts, and to familiarize them with some of its basic institutions. Students follow how trusts are created and administered and the consequent legal problems which may occur. The appointment, powers, and duties of trustess will also be a particular focus together with an analysis of the implication of a breach of trusts, and the various remedies available to deal with it.
LEG 321: INTERNATIONAL LAW
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Prerequisite: LEG 101
The law of nations, including recognition of a state, the law as to territorial integrity of a state, the sea and the air, diplomatic immunities, international agreements on international peace and security, and the function of international organizations. This course will also examine international liability, state responsibility, redress for injury caused by a state or its agent, protection of investments, and the institutional structures of international organizations and how they function.
LEG 222: JUSTICE AND ORDER IN WORLD LEGAL SYSTEMS
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Prerequisites: LEG 101
In this course the student will use their knowledge of the fundamentals of the European legal systems: the ancient Roman law, medieval canon law. common law, and continental law. They will analyze selected institutes and procedures of the above mentioned legal systems to identify the paths they follow in guaranteeing justice and order. The students will use their philosophical understanding of justice and order yet they will also learn to evalute the strengths and weaknesses of the institutes and procedures in pursuing justice and order from the legal point of view.
LEG 351: INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW
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Prerequisite: LEG 101
Students will gain an understanding of the protection afforded to human rights in the laws of Europe. The course will focus on the European Convention of Human Rights and the jurisprudence of the Strasbourg Court in interpreting its substantive provisions. Attention will also be paid to its relationship with the constitutional traditions of member states and the framework of the European Union.
LEG 353: LAW OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
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Prerequisite: LEG 101, LEG 211, LEG 321
This course will explore the reasons behind and authority for international organizations, it will familiarize the students with some of the more important functions and workings of such organizations, and it will attempt to develop a sense of currently important legal issues. As a survey course, this course is not intended to replace more specific courses.
LEG 361: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW
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Prerequisites: LEG 101, LEG 211
The course concentrates on the powers of administrative authorities (central and local); public corporations and administrative tribunals; and the ways in which their activities are controlled by courts and by other government bodies. This course will be taught from a comparative perspective and contrast the Czech and American systems.
LEG 378: EU AND US IMMIGRATION LAW
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The course will examine the current issues of immigration in the EU and in the USA. It will provide the main EU and US legislation and case-law in this field and describe the legal requirements and procedure for immigration to the US and to the EU. The course will also address the rights of legal migrants to work and benefit from social protection and their other related rights. The course will deal with the limitations and derogations of the right to move, reside and work. Attention shall be drawn not only to the question of legal migration but also to that of illegal migration. Comparisons to implementation of immigration law of different EU member states and of the United States will be drawn upon during the lectures.
LEG 381: BUSINESS LAW
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Prerequisites: LEG 101, ECO 105
The course will primarily focus on the areas that most affect business relations: agency, sales (with particular emphasis on international sales), commercial paper and secured transactions. The basic principles of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) will also be presented. The course further explores the various types of business structure, from sole proprietorships to multinational corporations. Topics will include the formation and dissolution of companies, their legal and economic structure, and the duties of agents/representatives to each other, to the company, and to the public. Students will gain insight into the relationship between law and business entities of various forms.
LEG 382: TELECOMMUNICATION LAW
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Prerequisite: LEG 101
The objective of the course is to provide the students with an understanding of this area of law, together with the ability to review it with a critical legal and economic analysis. The course aims to cover the EC and US legislation concerning regulation and competition in the sector of electronic communication.
LEG 383: ISLAMIC LAW
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Prerequisite: LEG 101
This course will give students an overview of Islamic Law, its system and interpretative methods. After passing the course, students should be able to comprehend fundamental concepts of Islam and Islamic Law, understand the multifaceted character of Islamic decision-making process and the contemporary question of interpretative authority. Students should be able to understand and critically analyze chosen particular issues related to Islam and Islamic Law in 21st century, with emphasis given on Muslim minorities living in the western legal systems.
LEG 385: BANKING LAW
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Prerequisite: LEG 201, LEG 202
This course concerns the following major areas 1) bank regulation, 2) legal relationships between banks and their customers, 3) payment and payment systems, 4) financial services (credit and investment services), 5) international dimension of banking. These issues are studied in the context of recognized categories of tort liability. This course will be taught from a comparative perspective.
LEG 391: ITALIAN AND CZECH LAW OF CONTRACTS
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Prerequisite: LEG 101
The course is designed to cover the most relevant contracts under Italian and Czech Civil and Commercial law. It provides the student with a working knowledge of how contracts work, focusing on statutes (in particular the relevant Civil and Commercial Codes) and recent jurisprudence. The Italian and the Czech legal system belong to different branches of the Continental law; thus, they offer an ideal scenario for a comparative lawyer focusing on contracts. The course will enhance the student’s understanding of contracts in continental legal systems and the ability to discuss the crucial issues which normally arise when carrying out legal transactions.
LEG 395: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW
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Prerequisite: LEG 101, LEG 201, LEG 202
This course aims to provide students with a knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the various types of intellectual property rights and their commercial importance. The course will further examine the national, European and wider international dimensions of the legal regulation of intellectual property rights; and the law governing the acquisition, exploitation and infringement of copyright and allied rights, including the application of copyright law in the context of modern information technology developments. As well as gaining appropriate knowledge and understanding, students will have the opportunity to develop their research skills.
LEG 397: CYBER LAW
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Prerequisites: LEG 101, LEG 201, LEG 202
The preliminary focus of this course will be on rules and regulations that are most relevant and affect daily interactive relations: all online participants, their rights and duties vis-á-vis the regulators, state, other individual(s), or business organizations, understanding of the various jurisdictional and pertinent global electronic communication issues and the constantly developing Cyber regime will be analyzed under the current and available International legal mechanisms. The course is supported by its own WWW site, which contains useful source materials and search facilities.
LEG 398: COMPETITION LAW
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Prerequisite: LEG 101, LEG 291
This course familiarizes students with the rationale behind competition regulation in a free market economy, the basic rules, concepts and principles of competition law in the EU and the USA and the main competition statutes and cases and the enforcement procedure, powers and co-operation of anti-monopoly offices. The development of the competition law in recent years, i.e. modernization of the EU competition law, competition issues in new EU-member states, in formerly state controlled sectors and the convergence of the EU and US competition law will also be discussed in class.