MLL224 - Advanced Statutory Interpretation
Unit details
| Year | 2026 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Online |
| Credit point(s) | 1 |
| EFTSL value | 0.125 |
| Unit chair | Trimester 1: Bruce Chen |
| Cohort rule | For Bachelor of Laws (including combined Law awards) students only |
| Prerequisite | Students must have passed MLL110, MLL113 plus 4 additional MLL/MLP/MLT coded units. |
| Corequisite | Nil |
| Incompatible with | MLJ747 |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment | 1 x 2 hour on-campus lecture (recordings provided) per week and 1 x 1 hour on-campus seminar (recordings provided) per week |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment | 1 x 2 hour online lecture (recordings provided) per week and 1 x 1 hour online seminar (recordings provided) per week |
| Typical study commitment | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the trimester 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 provides an advanced study of the interpretation and the drafting of statutes. Students will comprehensively examine concepts underpinning statutory interpretation and significantly build upon existing skills in applying statutory interpretation techniques and methodologies to solve legal problems. Students will look in depth at issues such as the goal of statutory interpretation; how we make sense of statutory text; how to resolve inconsistencies within and between statutes; and the relevance and application of Interpretation Acts, common law presumptions, international law, and interpretation under human rights statutes. In doing so, students will discuss hard cases and consider how different approaches resolve these problems, including whether courts are straying beyond their judicial function when doing so. Finally, students will consider how legislation is developed from the perspective of legislative drafting. Selected case studies across various intersecting areas of law will be explored. The focus of the unit will be on statutory interpretation in Australia. However, relevant comparisons will be made to other jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom. The unit will provide students with a deep appreciation of, and skill set for, interpreting statutes, which are desired attributes for employment in the legal profession.
Learning outcomes
Each unit in your course is a building block towards Deakin's Graduate Learning Outcomes - not all units develop and assess every Graduate Learning Outcome (GLO).
| 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 | Identify, explain and evaluate the concepts underpinning statutory interpretation in Australia, including interpretation theories, techniques and methodologies. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Critically analyse legal issues and reasoning that arise in relation to statutory interpretation. | GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO3 | Apply statutory interpretation techniques and methodologies to resolve doubts as to meaning and application of statutory text. | GLO5: Problem solving |
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.
Hurdle requirements
Nil
Learning resource
There is no prescribed text. Unit materials are provided via the unit site. This includes unit topic readings and references to further information.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
To fully engage with Deakin's learning experiences, students must be able to access and use internet-connected devices as outlined in computing requirements at Deakin.
To support student success at Deakin, we have a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) learning environment that acknowledges that students and educators bring with them the digital tools they regularly use to complete academic tasks. These tools stay with you beyond the classroom, helping you to keep learning, explore ideas more deeply, and connect with knowledge in ways that matter to you.
Students requiring a loan device should visit our Loan Laptop webpage or students requiring longer-term assistance should visit our Student Financial Assistance webpage.
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.