MLL320 - Family Law
Unit details
| Year | 2025 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong), Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Previously coded as: | MLL210, MLL408 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: Michele Tucker |
| Cohort rule: | For Bachelor of Laws (including combined Law awards) students only |
| Prerequisite: | Students enrolled before 2019: MLL110 |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | MLJ712 |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 1 x 2 hour on-campus lecture (recordings provided) and 1 x 1 hour on-campus seminar (recordings provided) each week |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 1 x 2 hour online lecture (recordings provided) and 1 x 1 hour online seminar (recordings provided) each week |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
Content
This unit will examine the legal relationships arising out of the family as a legal and social institution. The syllabus includes: a study of society and the family; the Commonwealth constitution, and the impact it has on the Family Law Act 1975 (Cwlth); the jurisdiction of the Family Court; the legal rules which govern marriage; divorce and nullity; the responsibility of parents and the Family Court to make decisions 'in the best interests' of a child; the division of property upon marriage breakdown; spousal maintenance; financial disputes between domestic partners and from a sociological and legal framework, violence within a family.
Learning Outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Analyse and discuss the modern family, including both de jure and de facto/domestic relationships, taking into account sociological and legal factors that affect the family and its formation. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Explain the Jurisdictional and Constitutional aspects of family law, and how our family law system has evolved in Australia. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO3 | Identify, analyse and apply the law as it relates to the breakdown of de jure and de facto/domestic relationship, and the methods for resolving these disputes. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO5: Problem solving |
| ULO4 | Identify and analyse the importance attached to the rights of children under international and domestic law; and identify and apply the legislation and case law in regard to parental responsibility and the best interests of a child. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO5: Problem solving |
| ULO5 | Critically evaluate issues of violence within the family and the remedies available under Commonwealth and State law. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO4: Critical thinking GLO5: Problem solving |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: (Individual) Letter of Advice | 2000 words | 50% | Week 7 |
| End-of-unit assessment task: Written | 2000 words | 50% | End-of-unit assessment period |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for MLL320 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.