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Unit of study_
LAWS6326: Interpretation of Statutes and Other Texts
2026 unit information
Students will develop their understanding of the principles of statutory interpretation, and hone their ability to apply those principles in practice. The interpretation of contracts, constitutions and treaties will also be explored, observing where the core principles of statutory interpretation (text, context and purpose/intent) also apply to those texts, as well as learning rules particular to contracts, constitutions and treaties. Interpretation is a day-to-day task of the lawyer but many practising lawyers (and other professionals who work with the law) do not have a background in the discipline. This unit will teach the principles of interpretation, with a particular focus on practical application through the use of real-world examples, in-class exercises, and how to guides. Refer to the Sydney Law School timetable - https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/4533/pages/postgraduate-lecture-timetable
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Sydney Law School
| Study level | Postgraduate |
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| Academic unit | Law |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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It is assumed that students undertaking this unit have an understanding of Australian income taxation law commensurate with that, which would be obtained from completing undergraduate study in Australian taxation law or five years working with Australian taxation law in a law or accounting practice, in an industry role, or in the Australian Taxation Office. Students who do not have such knowledge or work experience should undertake LAWS6825 Fundamentals of Australian Taxation before enrolling in other units. For students who have not studied Australian law it is recommended that they undertake LAWS6252 Legal Reasoning and the Common Law System before enrolling in LAWS6825 and this unit. |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. understand principles of statutory interpretation (text, context and purpose/intent) and the rules particular to contracts, constitutions and treaties
- LO2. apply these core principles and rules to the interpretation of contracts, constitutions and treaties in a variety of current complex commercial and private contexts
- LO3. clearly and accurately communicate analysis of the operation of those rules and principles in a variety of current complex commercial and private contexts
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
There are no availabilities for this year.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 2a 2026
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Block mode | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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