2019 VCAA Exam - practice exam PDF

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Victorian Certificate of Education 2019

Letter STUDENT NUMBER

LEGAL STUDIES Written examination Tuesday 12 November 2019 Reading time: 2.00 pm to 2.15 pm (15 minutes) Writing time: 2.15 pm to 4.15 pm (2 hours)

QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOK Structure of book Section

Number of questions

Number of questions to be answered

A B

6 2

6 2

Number of marks

40 40 Total 80

• Studentsarepermittedtobringintotheexaminationroom:pens,pencils,highlighters,erasers, sharpenersandrulers. • StudentsareNOTpermittedtobringintotheexaminationroom:blanksheetsofpaperand/or correctionfluid/tape. • Nocalculatorisallowedinthisexamination. Materials supplied • Questionandanswerbookof26pages • Additionalspaceisavailableattheendofthebookifyouneedextrapapertocompleteananswer. Instructions • Writeyourstudent numberinthespaceprovidedaboveonthispage. • AllwrittenresponsesmustbeinEnglish. Students are NOT permitted to bring mobile phones and/or any other unauthorised electronic devices into the examination room. ©VICTORIANCURRICULUMANDASSESSMENTAUTHORITY2019

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

2

SECTION A Instructions for Section A Answerallquestionsinthespacesprovided.

Question 1 (6marks) Johnhasbeenchargedwithanindictableoffence.Hehaspleadednotguilty.Thevictimsare worriedaboutgivingevidenceattheupcomingtrial,whichisexpectedtolastforsixweeks.John’s lawyerhasrecommendedthatJohnshouldapplytothecourtforasentenceindicationandconsider pleadingguilty. a.

Explainonereasonwhyasentenceindicationmay notbeappropriateinthiscase.

3marks

SECTION A – Question 1–continued



b.

3

DescribeoneimpactthataguiltypleamayhaveonJohn’scriminalcase.

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

3marks

SECTION A – continued TURN OVER

2019 LEGAL STUDIES EXAM

4

Question 2 (4 marks) As at 1 July 2019, the composition of the Commonwealth Parliament was as follows. Senate Gender

Total

Age

Female

Male

Under 45

45 and over

Data not available

37

39

12

50

14

House of Representatives Gender

Total

Age

Female

Male

Under 45

45 and over

Data not available

46

105

25

106

20

Data: Parliament of Australia,

In your view, to what extent does the composition of the Commonwealth Parliament affect its ability to be representative in law-making? Justify your answer with reference to the table above.

SECTION A – continued



5

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

Question 3 (5marks) Zenaboughtasecond-handdressfor$300forherYear12formal.Shetookittoherlocaldry-cleaningstore, NoGuarantees,togetitcleanedbeforetheformal.WhenZenawenttopickupthedressfourdayslater,she wastoldthatthestoredidnothaveanyrecordofherdress. NoGuaranteeshasrefusedtoanswerZena’scallsoremails.Zenasharedherstorywithalocalnewspaper and,sincethen,atleast12otherpeoplehavecomeforwardwithsimilarstories.Recently,Zenawentpastthe storeandnoticedthatitseemedtobepermanentlyclosed. ZenawantstoclaimthefullcostofherdressfromNoGuarantees. DiscusstheappropriatenessoftheVictorianCivilandAdministrativeTribunal(VCAT)inresolvingthe disputebetweenZenaandNoGuarantees.

SECTION A – continued TURN OVER

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

6

Question 4 (5marks) Section51(xxix)oftheAustralianConstitutionprovidestheCommonwealthParliamentwiththepowerto makelawsinrelationtoexternalaffairs. IntheHighCourtcaseofKoowarta v. Bjelke-Petersen(1982),thenChiefJusticeGibbsstated:‘…if s.51(xxix)empowerstheParliamenttolegislatetogiveeffecttoeveryinternationalagreementwhichthe executivemaychoosetomake,theCommonwealthwouldbeabletoacquireunlimitedlegislativepower’. ExplainwhatthestatementfromtheHighCourtmeansinrelationtotheexternalaffairspower.

SECTION A –continued



7

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

Question 5 (10marks) InOctober2018,theVictorianLawReformCommission(VLRC)receivedtermsofreferenceto reviewandreportonVictoria’scommittalsystem.Aspartofthisreview,theVLRCwillconsider: ‘whetherVictoriashouldmaintain,abolish,replaceorreformthepresentcommittalsystem[and] …waystominimisetheneedforvictimsandothervulnerablewitnessestogiveevidencemultiple times’. TheVLRCisduetoreportbacktothegovernmentinMarch2020. a.

Referringtocommittalproceedings,justifyonereasonfortheVictoriancourthierarchy.

3marks

SECTION A – Question 5–continued TURN OVER

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

b.

8

EvaluatetheabilityoftheVLRCtoinfluencechangestothecriminaljusticesystem.Inyour answer,refertoonerecentexampleoftheVLRCrecommendinglawreform.

7marks

SECTION A – Question 5–continued



9

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

SECTION A – continued TURN OVER

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

10

Question 6 (10marks) Section116oftheAustralianConstitutionstates:‘TheCommonwealthshallnotmakeanylawfor establishinganyreligion,orforimposinganyreligiousobservance,orforprohibitingthefreeexerciseof anyreligion,andnoreligioustestshallberequiredasaqualificationforanyofficeorpublictrustunderthe Commonwealth’. DiscusstheextenttowhichtheAustralianpeoplecanpreventtheCommonwealthParliamentfrommaking anylawsonreligion.

SECTION A – Question 6–continued



11

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

END OF SECTION A TURN OVER

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

12

SECTION B Instructions for Section B Usestimulusmaterial,whereprovided,toanswerthequestionsinthissection.Itisnotintendedthatthis materialwillprovideyouwithalltheinformationtofullyanswerthequestions. Answerallquestionsinthespacesprovided.

Question 1 (23marks) Source 1 Thefollowingisanextractofsection22oftheDefamation Act 2005(Vic). 22 Roles of judicial officers and juries in defamation proceedings (1)Thissectionappliestodefamationproceedingsthataretriedbyjury. … (3)Ifthejuryfindsthatthedefendanthaspublisheddefamatorymatterabouttheplaintiffandthatno defencehasbeenestablished,thejudicialofficerandnotthejuryistodeterminetheamountofdamages (ifany)thatshouldbeawardedtotheplaintiffandallunresolvedissuesoffactandlawrelatingtothe determinationofthatamount. Source:VictorianLegislationandParliamentaryDocuments,

Source 2 ThefollowingisanextractfromanarticlebyMichaelaWhitbourn,publishedinThe Sydney Morning Herald on31January2019. Ambitious 18-month timetable unveiled for defamation law reform Thestatesandterritorieshaveagreedtoanambitious18-monthtimetableforoverhaulingthecountry’s complexandoutdateddefamationlaws,amidrapidchangesinonlinepublishingandcallsforthelawsto providerobustnewprotectionsforpublicinterestjournalism. … NSWAttorney-GeneralMarkSpeakmanstartedareviewofthecountry’sdefamationlawsinJunelast year,morethanadecadeafterthestatesandterritoriespasseduniformlawstoreplaceanunworkable systemofeightdifferentdefamationlawsnationwide. … ProfessorDavidRolph,adefamationlawexpertattheUniversityofSydney,saiddefamationlawwas ‘notoriouslycomplex…’. ‘Anyonedesigningasystemoflawbalancingfreedomofspeechandprotectionofreputationwouldnot comeupwiththesystemofdefamationlawthatwehave.Thereisalotofscopeforreform,’hesaid. Source:MichaelaWhitbourn,‘Ambitious18-monthtimetableunveiledfordefamationlawreform’, The Sydney Morning Herald,31January2019,

SECTION B – Question 1–continued



13

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

Source 3 Thefollowingisahypotheticalscenario. BradleyisanAustraliancelebritywhohasappearedinmajorfilmsandtelevisionseries.Hehas retiredfromactingandisseekingelectionasamemberoftheVictorianParliament. Stefaniisajournalistforamajornewspaper.Onasocialmediawebsite,Stefaniwrotethe followingcommentaboutBradley:‘Anotherbrainlesscelebritytryingtomakehiswayinto parliament,thinkingheknowsbetterthaneverybodyelse.Thisisthelastthingthestateneeds. Bradleyshouldgobacktoactinginbadfilms.’ Stefanirepeatedhercommentsinanarticlepublishedbyheremployer.Stefani’scommentsand thearticleweresharedwidelyontheinternetandhavebeenpublishedbyvariouswebsites. BradleyhassuedStefaniandheremployerintheSupremeCourtofVictoria.Bradleyclaims thatStefanihaspublisheddefamatorycommentsabouthimthathavedamagedhisreputation. Bradleyisseekingdamagesforlossofreputationandisseekinganinjunctiontoremove Stefani’scommentsandthearticlefromtheinternet. Bradleyhaselectedforhistrialtobeheardbyajury.ThejudgeintheSupremeCourtof Victoriahasorderedthatthepartiesattendmediationtotrytoresolvethedispute.

a.

Isthepowertochangedefamationlawsaresidualpoweroranexclusivepower?Justifyyour answer. 2marks

SECTION B – Question 1–continued TURN OVER

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

b.

14

ExplainonereasonfortheneedtochangedefamationlawsinAustralia.

3marks

SECTION B – Question 1–continued



15

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

c.

BradleybelievesheisentitledtobeelectedtotheVictorianParliamentbecauseofsections 7and24oftheAustralianConstitution.



ExplainwhyBradleyiswrong.

3marks

SECTION B – Question 1–continued TURN OVER

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

d.

16

Describetherelationshipbetweensection22oftheDefamation Act 2005(Vic)andthe responsibilitiesofthejudgeandthejuryifBradley’scasegoestotrial.

4marks

SECTION B – Question 1–continued



e.

17

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

DiscusstheextenttowhichaninjunctionalonecouldrestoreBradleytothepositionhewasin beforethepublicationofStefani’scommentsandthearticle. 5marks

SECTION B – Question 1–continued TURN OVER

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

f.

18

Inyourview,shouldthismatterbedeterminedbyajuryattrialorthroughmediation?Give reasonsforyouranswer.

6marks

SECTION B – continued



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2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

Question 2 (17marks) ThefollowingisanextractfromanarticlebyGregWalsh,firstpublishedinThe Sydney Morning Heraldon3March2016,abouttheHighCourtcaseofD’Orta-Ekenaike v. Victoria Legal Aid (2005). Should you be able to sue your lawyer if you think they’ve done a bad job? InAustraliaalawyercannotbesuedinnegligencefortheirworkduringcourtproceedingsor forout-of-courtworkthatleadstoadecisionaffectingtheconductofacaseincourt. This‘advocates’immunity’defencehasbeenstronglycriticisedandtherehavebeenrepeated callsfortheimmunitytobeabolishedoratleastnarrowed.Thoseagainstimmunitymayhave groundsforhopeastheHighCourtwillreconsideritthismonthinanappealfromtheNSW CourtofAppealdecisionofJacksonLalicLawyersvGregoryIanAttwells. … Theissueofadvocates’immunitywaslastaddressedbytheHighCourtin2005in D’Orta-EkenaikevVictoriaLegalAid.D’Orta-Ekenaikeinitiallypleadedguiltytoachargeof rapebutwithdrewhispleaattrial.Despitewithdrawinghispleatheprosecutionrelieduponhis initialdecisiontopleadguiltyandhewasconvicted.Onappealhisconvictionwasquashedand intheretrialtheevidenceofhispleaofguiltywasnotadmittedandhewasacquitted. D’Orta-EkenaikesuedhisbarristerandVictoriaLegalAidclaimingthatheonlypleadedguilty afterbeingadvisedthathehadnodefence,thathewouldreceiveasuspendedsentenceifhe pleadedguilty,andthatifhefailedtopleadguiltyhewouldreceiveacustodialsentence. TheHighCourtfoundagainstD’Orta-Ekenaikeina6:1decision(JusticeKirbydissenting) thatupheldadvocates’immunity.Outofthemanyreasonsconsideredbythecourt,themajority stronglyemphasisedthefundamentalimportanceofensuringfinalityinjudicialproceedings. Thecourtwasconcernedthatallowinglawyerstobesuedforworkrelatedtocourtproceedings wouldopenupthepotentialforongoinglitigationbyprovidingeverylosingpartytheability tocontinuetolitigatetheirmatterbysuingtheirlawyers.Suchanoutcome,inthecourt’sview, hadthepotentialtoimpairtheabilityoflegaladvocatestofocusontheadministrationofjustice andwouldunderminepublicconfidenceinthelegalsystem. Source:GregWalsh,‘Shouldyoubeabletosueyourlawyerifyouthinkthey’vedoneabadjob?’, The Sydney Morning Herald,4March2016,

a.

WasD’Orta-Ekenaike v. Victoria Legal Aidacriminalcaseoracivilcase?Justifyyour answer.

2marks

SECTION B – Question 2–continued TURN OVER

2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

b.

c.

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OutlineoneresponsibilityofVictoriaLegalAid(VLA)inassistingMrD’Orta-Ekenaikein hiscriminalcase.

2marks

Howcouldtheprincipleof‘advocates’immunity’bedecidedbyparliament?

3marks

SECTION B – Question 2–continued

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d.

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2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

ExplaintherelationshipbetweentheHighCourtcaseofD’Orta-Ekenaike v. Victoria Legal Aidandthedoctrineofprecedent.

4marks

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2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

e.

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DiscussoneoftheprinciplesofjusticeinrelationtoMrD’Orta-Ekenaike’scriminalcase.

END OF QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOK

6marks

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2019LEGALSTUDIESEXAM

Extra space for responses Clearly number all responses in this space.

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Ananswerbookisavailablefromthesupervisorifyouneedextrapapertocompleteananswer.Please ensureyouwriteyourstudent numberinthespaceprovidedonthefrontcoveroftheanswerbook. At the end of the examination, place the answer book inside the front cover of this question and answer book....