LAU34141 Family and Child Law

ECTS weighting 10
Semester/term taught MT
Cohorts Available: JS / SS Single Honours, Law Major BJS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor
Open Module for Non-Law Students – JS year.  Students advised to consult https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/ for more details.
Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload 3 hours of lectures per week in the 1st semester
Module Coordinator/Owner Dr Patricia Brazil

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module, students should have:

  • an understanding of the law relating to families and children in Ireland in the light of the Constitution, the domestic legal framework as well as international human rights law.
  • a critical awareness of the policy behind family and child law in Ireland.
  • a practical appreciation of the implications of family and child law in this jurisdiction.

Module Content

This course will cover the legal status of the family and the child, the law relating to family formation (including marriage, civil partnership, cohabitants and non-marital families) and the law recognising family breakdown (including nullity, separation and divorce) as well as the law regulating family breakdown (to include preliminary/ancillary orders in separation/divorce/dissolution of civil partnership). We will also examine the child’s right to a family (including guardianship, custody and access as well as adoption) and the protection of vulnerable family members (including child protection and domestic violence).

Assessment Problem Question 50%, Individual Essay (3,500 words) 50%
Reassessment As Above