How to Deal With the System
A practical Australian legal-literacy course for ordinary people: understand where law comes from, read documents properly, deal with police and courts, preserve evidence, write effective correspondence, make complaints and know when to get a lawyer.
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Skill: Legal Literacy
Lessons
1
Map the system before you fight the problemIdentify the decision-maker, jurisdiction, document, deadline and legal source before taking action. · 18 min
2
Where Australian law actually comes fromUnderstand the Constitution, Commonwealth law, State law, regulations and case law without mixing them together. · 22 min
3
“Law of the land”: what the phrase does — and does not — meanSeparate genuine legal rules from slogans, internet theories and arguments courts do not recognise. · 20 min
4
Your State or Territory changes the paperworkUse Legal Lee to load the correct jurisdiction before relying on a form, offence, police power or court procedure. · 16 min
5
Common law and precedentUnderstand how court decisions create and develop legal principles and how precedent differs from legislation. · 22 min
6
Contract law: was there actually an agreement?Identify offer, acceptance, consideration, intention, certainty and the parties to an agreement. · 24 min
7
Contract terms, consumer protections and unfair clausesRead terms critically and recognise where statutory consumer protections can affect a contract. · 24 min
8
Breach, notices and remediesDistinguish breach, termination, damages, debt claims, specific remedies and dispute-resolution steps. · 22 min
9
Criminal law: charge, elements, defences and burdenBreak a criminal allegation into the offence elements, available evidence and possible legal issues. · 26 min
10
Dealing with police: questions, interviews and recordsUnderstand practical rights and responsibilities when police ask questions or seek an interview. · 26 min
11
Search, arrest, custody and warrantsKnow what documents and facts to record when police exercise coercive powers. · 24 min
12
Evidence: what actually proves the point?Separate allegation, inference and admissible or useful evidence. · 28 min
13
Chronologies, exhibits and document controlTurn a pile of material into an organised case file. · 22 min
14
Going to Court: first appearance, mentions and next stepsUnderstand mentions, pleas, adjournments, bail issues, duty lawyers and the importance of attendance. · 26 min
15
Read the actual order, notice or decisionExtract operative terms, dates, obligations, findings and review rights from formal documents. · 20 min
16
Letters that get taken seriouslyWrite concise, factual, evidence-linked correspondence that asks for a specific outcome. · 24 min
17
Complaints, internal review and external oversightChoose the correct complaint or review pathway and preserve escalation rights. · 24 min
18
Human rights and public decision-making across AustraliaUnderstand how Commonwealth, State and Territory human-rights and administrative-law protections may apply to public decision-making. · 22 min
19
Getting records and informationKnow the difference between asking informally, disclosure processes, access-to-information regimes and subpoenas/orders. · 22 min
20
Self-representation: preparation beats performancePrepare a matter so the decision-maker can follow the issue quickly. · 24 min
21
Know when to stop and get legal helpRecognise legal risk that should not be handled from a general course alone. · 18 min