• Offered by ANU Law School
  • ANU College ANU College of Law, Governance and Policy
  • Course subject Laws
  • Areas of interest Law
  • Academic career PGRD
  • Mode of delivery Online or In Person
  • Co-taught Course

The course covers aspects of the law of restitution as it has developed in Australia, England and (to a lesser extent) Canada, and considers the inter-relationship between restitution, contract, equity, and other categories of legal obligations. 

The course considers the relevant law from three perspectives: historical, conceptual and doctrinal.  It provides a useful overview of the private law of obligations and property. The first section of the course considers: 

  • the history of restitution; and 
  • theories of restitution and the concept of unjust enrichment 


The second part of the course examines various situations where restitutionary relief may be sought including: 

  • mistake (including its role as the paradigm unjust enrighment claim); 
  • ineffective contracts; 
  • restitution after breach of contract; 
  • compulsion; 
  • restitution for wrongs; 
  • property and restitution; 
  • equity and restitution; and 
  • other topical issues. 


To develop their knowledge and skills, students will engage in a range of learning activities, including seminars involving interactive lectures, group discussion, small group exercises and legal problem-solving skills training. 

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

  1. Evaluate hypothetical restitution problems and apply law relevant to topics covered in the course. 
  2. Research, critically reflect and contribute to the theoretical debates concerning the structure, content and methodology of the law of restitution. 
  3. Integrate social, comparative or interdisciplinary approaches into critical analysis of the law of restitution. 
  4. Evaluate the relationship of the law of restitution to other categories of the law of obligations and to equity, synthesise knowledge, and present findings in these areas of law.

Other Information

May require an external convenor.

Indicative Assessment

  1. The proposed means of assessment for this course will provide students with at least two pieces of assessment, including one piece during the teaching period. More information about the means of assessment, including the relationship between the assessment and the learning outcomes of the course, will be available in the class summary and on the course WATTLE page.  (100) [LO 1,2,3,4]

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Workload

  • Classes offered in non-standard sessions will be taught on an intensive base with compulsory contact hours (approximately 26 hours of face to face teaching). The course will also require advanced preparation through assigned readings. In total, it is anticipated that the hours required for completion of this course (class preparation, teaching and completion of assessment) will not exceed 120 hours.
  • Classes offered during semester periods are expected to have three contact hours per week. Students are generally expected to devote at least 10 hours overall per week to this course. In total, it is anticipated that the hours required for completion of this course (class preparation, teaching and completion of assessment) will not exceed 120 hours.

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Inherent Requirements

Not applicable.

Requisite and Incompatibility

To enrol in this course you must be studying a; Master of Laws (MLLM) and have completed or be completing LAWS8586 Law and Legal Institutions; or Graduate Certificate of Law (CLAW) and have completed or be completing LAWS8586 Law and Legal Institutions; or Juris Doctor (MJD) and have completed or be completing five 6100 level LAWS courses, and have completed or be completing LAWS6205 Equity & Trusts, and have completed LAWS6204 Property; or Master of Financial Management and Law (MFIML) and have completed or be completing LAWS8586 Law and Legal Institutions. You are not able to enrol in this course if you have previously completed LAWS4254 Restitution. This course requires students to have completed an Australian or equivalent Undergraduate or Postgraduate Law Degree. Students undertaking any ANU College of Law graduate program may apply for this course if they have the required law background. You will need to contact the ANU Law School to request a permission code to enrol in this course.

Prescribed Texts

Students must rely on the approved Class Summary which will be posted to the Programs and Courses site approximately two weeks prior to the commencement of the course. Alternatively, this information will be published in the Program course list when known.

Preliminary Reading

Students must rely on the approved Class Summary which will be posted to the Programs and Courses site approximately two weeks prior to the commencement of the course.

Fees

Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.  

Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees

Student Contribution Band:
34
Unit value:
6 units

If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.

Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.

Units EFTSL
6.00 0.12500
Note: Please note that fee information is for current year only.

Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

There are no current offerings for this course.

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