LAW 2601 MODULE 1 LEGAL PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE

PARALEGAL PRACTICE MODULE 1 Legal Principles and Practice UPDATED 2011 Paralegal – Module 1 Page i South African Law School TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION ONE  THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT AND ROLE OF LAW IN GENERAL WITH A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON THE HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICAN LAW................................................ 2  APARTHEID LAW AND THE CHANGES TO LAW SINCE 1994…………………………… 8  THE SOURCES OF SOUTH AFRICAN LAW............................................................... 9  THE INTERACTION OF SOUTH AFRICAN LAW WITH ROMAN DUTCH LAW, COMMON LAW, CUSTOMARY LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL LAW............................................... 22  EVALUATION EXERCISE........................................................................................ 26  INTERACTIVE TASK 1............................................................................................ 28 SECTION TWO 29  THE MAIN AREAS OF SOUTH AFRICAN LAW........................................................... 30  PRIVATE LAW AND HOW IT INTERACTS WITH OTHER DIVISIONS OF LAW................... 34  WHAT IS PUBLIC LAW AND HOW DOES IT INTERACT WITH OTHER DIVISIONS OF 37 LAW?.................................................................................................................. 37  EVALUATION EXERCISE........................................................................................ 41  INTERACTIVE TASK 2............................................................................................ 44 SECTION THREE 45  THE STRUCTURE AND HIERARCHY OF THE ORDINARY COURTS IN SOUTH AFRICA.... 46  THE COMPOSITION AND THE FUNCTION OF THE ORDINARY COURTS IN SOUTH AFRICA............................................................................................................... 48  THE PARTICIPANTS IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL COURTS AND OTHER FORA................... 66  THE OPERATION OF THE PRECEDENT SYSTEM IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN COURT SYSTEM.............................................................................................................. 70  EVALUATION EXERCISE........................................................................................ 76  INTERACTIVE TASK 3............................................................................................ 78 SECTION FOUR 79  EXPLAIN PROCEDURES IN SEQUENCE IN TERMS OF THE SELECTED COURT OR FORUM................................................................................................................ 81  THE OPTION TO BE TAKEN IN A CIVIL AND CRIMINAL MATTER IN TERMS OF INFLUENCING FACTORS (INFLUENCING FACTORS INCLUDE THE USE OF THE LEGAL AUTHORITIES AND THE INTERESTS OF THE CLIENT)................................................ 92  THE ADVANTAGES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE CHOSEN OPTION FOR A GIVEN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL MATTER................................................................................ 93 South African Law School Paralegal – Module 1 Page ii  THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF EVIDENCE IN TERMS OF CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES....... 98  THE RULES RELATING TO PRIVILEGE, SUFFICIENCY OF EVIDENCE , CAUTIONARY RULES AND EXCLUSIONARY RULES........................................................................ 105  THE CONCEPTS OF STANDARD OF PROOF AND BURDEN OF PROOF IN TERMS OF CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES.................................................................................. 119  LEGAL AND OTHER DISPUTE RESOLUTION SOLUTIONS IN SOCIETY......................... 123  A PRACTICAL CASE STUDY.................................................................................. 137  THE BASIC RULES OF INTERPRETATION OF STATUTES ARE AS FOLLOWS................. 160  EVALUATION EXERCISE........................................................................................ 171  INTERACTIVE TASK 4............................................................................................ 174 SECTION FIVE 175  THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL COURTS AND OTHER........................ 176  THE IMPORTANCE OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND ITS PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS..... 184  THE REGULATION OF PARALEGAL AND LEGAL PRACTITIONERS............................... 190  EVALUATION EXERCISE........................................................................................ 192  INTERACTIVE TASK 5............................................................................................ 194 SECTION SIX 195  THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF DEMOCRACY........................................................ 197  THE CORE INDICATORS OF DEMOCRACY ARE ANALYSED AND INDICATION IS THE PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY AND HOW THEY INFLUENCE PRACTICES IN GOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SOCIETY........................................................................ 200  THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTITUTION AND HOW IT INTERPRETS AND APPLIES DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES.................................................................................... 206  THE CONSTITUTIONS OF TWO BODIES OR ORGANISATIONS IN TERMS OF HOW EACH INTERPRETS AND APPLIES DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES.................................... 213  THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DECISION MAKING AND DEMOCRACY....................... 215  STRATEGIES TO MANAGE DIVERSITY IN AN ORGANISATION WITH REFERENCE TO APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION, POLICY AND IMPLEMENTATION................................... 228  EVALUATION EXERCISE........................................................................................ 233  INTERACTIVE TASK 6............................................................................................ 236  INTERACTIVE EXERCISE....................................................................................... 236  REFERENCES S o u t h A f r i c a n LAW SCHOOL PARALEGAL PRACTICE MODULE 1 LEGAL PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE Paralegal – Module 1 Page 1 South African Law School SECTION ONE Learning Outcomes Demonstrate an Understanding of South African Law and the Legal System with Specific Emphasis on Paralegalism (Unit Standard )  Specific Outcome 1 Explain how law in general and South African Law in particular evolved.  AC 1 The historical development and role of law in general is discussed with a specific focus on the history of South African law  AC 2 Apartheid law and the changes to law since 1994 are explained  AC 3 The interaction of South African law with Roman Dutch Law , customary law and constitutional law is discussed  Specific Outcome 3 Explain the nature of the sources of South African law  AC 1 The sources of South African Law are listed