N_FLA Fundamentals of Legal Argumentation

University of Finance and Administration
Summer 2025
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Guaranteed by
JUDr. Petr Čechák, Ph.D.
Department of Law – Departments – University of Finance and Administration
Contact Person: Tereza Švestáková
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to make students familiar with the very concept of argumentation, functions of argumentation in relation to law and different methods of argumentation. The main objective of the course is to develop and cultivate practical skills directly related to legal argumentation and application of law. Particular argumentation methods should be just briefly outlined. The main emphasis of the course should be put on teaching students to use legal argumentation in practice. The course will be terminated by an academic essay dealing with some questions concerning either the theory or the practice of legal argumentation based on the topics presented in the course. By means of such an essay students should prove their concerning understanding. A satisfactory essay will be graded by a credit.
Learning outcomes
Student should be able:
- explain concept of legal argumentation
- explain nature of different argumentative approaches
- explain distinction of argumentation by legal rules and by legal principles
- explain concepts: plain meaning rule, golden rule, mischief rule
- enumerate and identify in practice types of falacies
Syllabus
  • (1) Concept of legal argumentation
  • (2) Logical approach to legal argumentation
  • (3) Rhetorical approach to legal argumentation
  • (4) Dialogical approach to legal argumentation
  • (5) Theory of discourse
  • (6) Formal fallacies
  • (7) Informal falacies
  • (8) Textual v. purposive approach to statutory interpretation
  • (9) Indefinite legal concepts and judicial discretion
  • (10) Interpretation of rules v. principles (hard cases)
  • (11) Analysis of selected cases 1
  • (12) Analysis of selected cases 2
Literature
    required literature
  • FETERIS, E. T. Fundamentals of Legal Argumentation : A Survey of Theories on the Justification of Judicial Decisions, Second edition.; Springer: The Netherlands, 2017
  • RAHMAN, S, ARMGART M, KVERNENES HCN. New developments in legal reasoning and logic : from ancient law to modern legal systems. Cham: Springer; 2022
    recommended literature
  • Bernall, Carlos: Legal Argumentation and the Normativity of Legal Norms. COGENCY Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 53-66, Summer 2011
  • ALEXY, R. A theory of legal argumentation: the theory of rational discourse as theory of legal justification. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010, ISBN-13: 978-0199584222
  • SHAPIRO SJ. Legality. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; 2013
    not specified
  • Hart, Herbert L. A.: The Concept of Law. Clarendon Press. Oxford. Oxford University Press; 315 p., 1961
  • Clements, Cory S.: Perception and Persuasion in Legal Argumentation: Using Informal Fallacies and Cognitive Biases to Win the War of Words. BYU L. Rev. 319, 2013
  • Fuller, Lon L.: The Morality of Law. Yale University Press, 262 p., 1977
  • Bertea, Stefano: Certainty, Reasonableness and Argumentation in Law. Argumentation, Volume 18, Issue 4, pp. 465–478, January 2004
Teaching methods
Lectures and seminars in full-time study; tutorials in part-time study; compulsory seminar participation is 75% in full-time study, compulsory tutorial participation is 50% in part-time study. Students who fail to meet the mandatory level of participation may be given during the semester additional study obligations (to the extent that will demonstrate academic achievement and acquired competencies necessary for successful completion of course).
Assessment methods
The course is terminated by credit awarded based proceeding of an academic essay .
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 16 hodin KS/semestr.
The course is also listed under the following terms Summer 2017, Summer 2018, Summer 2019, Summer 2020, Summer 2021, Summer 2022, Summer 2023, Summer 2024.
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