Introduction to Law: cram pack

Formula sheets, the key method steps for every topic and 10 practice problems, with full solutions at the back.

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1Practice problems

1.Contract lawMedium

An unusual and onerous term in standard conditions will only be incorporated if:

  1. AThe other party could have found it online
  2. BIt appears on the back of a receipt
  3. CIt was fairly and reasonably brought to the other party's attention
  4. DIt is printed anywhere in the contract documents, however small the type
2.Contract lawHard

In Great Peace Shipping v Tsavliris Salvage, the Court of Appeal held that a contract is void for common mistake only if the mistake makes performance:

  1. ACommercially less attractive for one party
  2. BDifferent from the contract in a minor detail
  3. CImpossible or essentially different from what the parties agreed
  4. DMore expensive to carry out than both parties had expected when contracting
3.Tort lawMedium

The Caparo test for a new duty of care requires:

  1. AIntention, motive and damage
  2. BA contract between the parties, a breach of its terms and loss flowing directly from the breach
  3. CForeseeability of harm, proximity and that it is fair, just and reasonable to impose a duty
  4. DProof of criminal conduct
4.Tort lawHard

Intruders start a fire in an empty, locked cinema, which spreads to neighbouring buildings. The owner did not know of earlier break-ins. In Smith v Littlewoods, the owner was:

  1. ALiable, because fire spreading is always foreseeable
  2. BNot liable, because it had no knowledge of the risk
  3. CLiable, because occupiers must guard against all intruders
  4. DStrictly liable under Rylands v Fletcher
5.Constitutional lawMedium

In Hirst v UK (No 2), the European Court of Human Rights held that the UK's blanket ban on voting by convicted prisoners:

  1. AViolated the right to freedom of expression in Article 10 of the Convention
  2. BWas within the UK's margin of appreciation
  3. CWas justified because prisoners have no rights
  4. DViolated the right to free elections in Protocol 1, Article 3
6.Constitutional lawHard

In R (Privacy International) v Investigatory Powers Tribunal (2019), the Supreme Court held that an ouster clause protecting the Tribunal's decisions:

  1. AApplied only to decisions on national security
  2. BDid not exclude judicial review of its errors of law
  3. CWas invalid because it was in secondary legislation
  4. DExcluded all review of its decisions
7.Criminal lawMedium

D drives on the pavement to escape a man who is threatening to kill him. The most suitable defence is:

  1. ADuress of circumstances
  2. BConsent
  3. CDiminished responsibility
  4. DLoss of control
8.Criminal lawHard

In Sweet v Parsley (1970), a landlady was convicted of being concerned in the management of premises used for smoking cannabis. The House of Lords:

  1. AHeld that cannabis offences require a commercial purpose
  2. BQuashed the conviction, holding that mens rea is presumed unless Parliament clearly excludes it
  3. CHeld that landladies have a duty to search their tenants
  4. DUpheld the conviction because drug offences are always strict liability in order to protect public health
9.EU lawMedium

The "public service" exception in Article 45(4) TFEU covers:

  1. AJobs in companies that have government contracts
  2. BAny job paid for by public funds
  3. CAll jobs in the public sector, including those of nurses, teachers and railway workers employed by the state
  4. DPosts involving the exercise of public power and safeguarding the general interests of the state
10.EU lawHard

In Rottmann (2010), Germany withdrew a naturalisation obtained by deception, leaving the person stateless. The Court held:

  1. AThe person automatically regained his previous nationality
  2. BNationality is purely national, so EU law is irrelevant
  3. CMember states can never withdraw nationality once granted if doing so would make the person stateless
  4. DThe withdrawal fell within the scope of EU law and had to respect the principle of proportionality

2Solutions

1.Contract law

Answer: C · It was fairly and reasonably brought to the other party's attention

Why this is the answer

Jurisdiction: law of England and Wales. The more unusual or onerous a term, the more must be done to draw attention to it. Lord Denning said some clauses would need a red hand pointing to them.

Answer

C · It was fairly and reasonably brought to the other party's attention
2.Contract law

Answer: C · Impossible or essentially different from what the parties agreed

Why this is the answer

Jurisdiction: law of England and Wales. The ship was further away than thought, but performance was still possible and not essentially different. The court also rejected a wider equitable power to rescind for common mistake.

Answer

C · Impossible or essentially different from what the parties agreed
3.Tort law

Answer: C · Foreseeability of harm, proximity and that it is fair, just and reasonable to impose a duty

Why this is the answer

Jurisdiction: law of England and Wales. Caparo v Dickman set out foreseeability, proximity and fairness; courts now develop duties incrementally by analogy with existing cases.

Answer

C · Foreseeability of harm, proximity and that it is fair, just and reasonable to impose a duty
4.Tort law

Answer: B · Not liable, because it had no knowledge of the risk

Why this is the answer

Jurisdiction: law of England and Wales. An occupier is not generally liable for damage caused by third parties entering its land unless, for example, it knew or ought to have known of the danger created by them.

Answer

B · Not liable, because it had no knowledge of the risk
5.Constitutional law

Answer: D · Violated the right to free elections in Protocol 1, Article 3

Why this is the answer

Jurisdiction: European Convention on Human Rights. The Court accepted some restrictions on prisoner voting could be legitimate, but an automatic ban for all convicted prisoners was disproportionate.

Answer

D · Violated the right to free elections in Protocol 1, Article 3
6.Constitutional law

Answer: B · Did not exclude judicial review of its errors of law

Why this is the answer

Jurisdiction: law of England and Wales. The majority held the clause, read in the light of Anisminic, did not oust review for errors of law. Some judges added that the rule of law may limit Parliament's power to exclude review completely.

Answer

B · Did not exclude judicial review of its errors of law
7.Criminal law

Answer: A · Duress of circumstances

Why this is the answer

Jurisdiction: law of England and Wales. Duress of circumstances applies where the defendant reasonably believed there was a threat of death or serious injury from the situation and responded as a reasonable person would.

Answer

A · Duress of circumstances
8.Criminal law

Answer: B · Quashed the conviction, holding that mens rea is presumed unless Parliament clearly excludes it

Why this is the answer

Jurisdiction: law of England and Wales. Sweet v Parsley established the presumption that mens rea is required for statutory offences, particularly "truly criminal" ones, unless rebutted by clear words or necessary implication.

Answer

B · Quashed the conviction, holding that mens rea is presumed unless Parliament clearly excludes it
9.EU law

Answer: D · Posts involving the exercise of public power and safeguarding the general interests of the state

Why this is the answer

Jurisdiction: EU law. The exception covers only posts that involve exercising powers conferred by public law, such as in the police or judiciary, not public sector employment in general.

Answer

D · Posts involving the exercise of public power and safeguarding the general interests of the state
10.EU law

Answer: D · The withdrawal fell within the scope of EU law and had to respect the principle of proportionality

Why this is the answer

Jurisdiction: EU law. Because losing nationality also ends EU citizenship, the decision is reviewable under EU law and must be proportionate, though withdrawal for fraud can be legitimate.

Answer

D · The withdrawal fell within the scope of EU law and had to respect the principle of proportionality

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