This module will give you an understanding of how the UK court system works, and get you ready to report from a variety of courts and hearings, including magistrates and crown courts, county courts and inquests. You'll get a chance to visit Kingston Crown Court - just across the road from campus - and practise your legal, shorthand and reporting skills. The module, which is not-for-credit, is taken by all students studying for the MA Journalism, and may also be of interest to MA Magazine Journalism students. It culminates in the NCTJ Court Reporting exam.
The aims of this module are to enable you to:
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
This module will be taught primarily through a three-hour lecture/seminar in weekly sessions. These will provide an overview of issues and give students the opportunity to debate the topic, examine relevant case studies and check their understanding of legal terms and concepts. Tuition in court reporting style and technique will also be given. There will also be organised visits to magistrates' courts and Crown courts and the option to also attend county courts, the High Court, inquests and employment tribunals. Students will have the opportunity to use the knowledge and understanding acquired in this module in combination with practical reporting and shorthand skills acquired in other modules and classes.
Definitive UNISTATS Category | Indicative Description | Hours |
---|---|---|
Scheduled learning and teaching | Lecture/seminar and court visits. Three hours per week over 10 weeks | 30 |
Guided independent study | Court visits and independent study | 60 |
Total (number of credits x 10) | 0 |
No MA assessment as not a credit-bearing unit. However, court reports may be submitted as part of the portfolio required for the MA Journalism Hands-On module
Professional assessment - NCTJ Court Reporting Law exam
Learning Outcome | Assessment Strategy |
---|---|
operate confidently and accurately as journalists reporting on proceedings in both criminal and civil courts | Formative assessment through class court report workshops and court visits |
work within the framework of reporting restrictions in the courts and recognise when they are within their rights to challenge judges' decisions on reporting restrictions; | NCTJ Court Reporting exam. Formative feedback on court reporting exercises |
be prepared for the National Council for the Training of Journalists' court reporting law exam | Formative assessment through mock exams. NCTJ Court Reporting exam |
Description of Assessment | Definitive UNISTATS Categories | Percentage |
---|---|---|
0 | ||
Total (to equal 100%) | 100% |
It IS NOT a requirement that any major assessment category is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module
Banks and Hanna, McNae's Essential Law for Journalists, Oxford, 21th Edition, 2012
Robertson, G and Nicol, A. (2007) Media Law 5th edition, Sweet and Maxwell, London.
Grove, Trevor (2000) The Juryman's Tale Bloomsbury, London
Grove, Trevor (2003) The Magistrate's Tale: A Frontline Report from a New JP Bloomsbury, London
Davies, FG (2012), Anthony and Berryman's Magistrates' Court Guide Butterworth, London