King's Inns Diploma study guide
King's Inns Diploma · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Diploma in Legal Studies at King's Inns is described by the institution as "a two-year broad introduction to law" and as "the stepping stone to the Degree of Barrister-at-Law for many students." It sits within a portfolio that also includes the Degree of Barrister-at-Law - the professional qualification for practice at the Irish Bar, offered full-time over one year or part-time modular over two years - and 15+ specialist advanced diplomas in areas from Data Protection to Employment Law. King's Inns describes itself as Ireland's oldest school of law and its only Inn of Court, established in 1541, with its Henrietta Street building designed by James Gandon completed in 1806. The source material does not publish a syllabus, assessment format, question count, duration, pass mark, fee, retake policy or validity period for the Diploma in Legal Studies, so candidates should confirm those details directly with King's Inns before applying. Preparation should therefore combine the published course information with the institution's open days, fee schedule and student resources. Note that this page is independent study material and is not affiliated with or endorsed by King's Inns; all programme details should be verified against the official site. Topics on this exam: Diploma in Legal Studies. The King's Inns Diploma study guide has 1 section and about 450 words.
01Diploma in Legal Studies: Sources of Law, Court Hierarchy and Precedent
This domain tests the machinery of Irish law rather than a single substantive subject: whether you can name the source of a rule, place a court correctly in the hierarchy, and apply precedent and the canons of interpretation to a short problem with Irish authority. Bunreacht na hÉireann 1937 is supreme: an inconsistent law is invalid to that extent. Article 15.2.1° reserves law-making to the Oireachtas; Article 34 vests judicial power in the courts. Legislation: Acts of the Oireachtas and statutory instruments made under delegated powers.
450 words, about 2 minMore study resources for King's Inns Diploma
- Practice questionsUnder Irish constitutional law, which article of Bunreacht na hÉireann contains the guarantee of equality before the law?
- FlashcardsRatio decidendi. The legal principle or rule upon which a court's decision is actually based; it binds lower courts in the same hierarchy in subsequent cases with materially similar facts.
- Cheat sheetSources of Irish law: Constitution (Bunreacht na hÉireann) is supreme; legislation is invalid if repugnant to the Constitution (Article 15.4.1°); EU law has primacy within its conferred competences; common law and equity apply where not displaced by statute.
- Key termsStare Decisis. The doctrine that courts must follow legal rules established in earlier decisions of higher courts in the same hierarchy, promoting consistency and predictability, while allowing higher courts to depart from their own precedents in limited circumstances.
- Study planMap the full Diploma in Legal Studies syllabus into a one-page topic inventory and rank each topic by assessed weight and perceived difficulty.
- Common mistakesCandidates arrive from arts or business degrees where discursive breadth is rewarded, and they have not practised marking against a scheme that awards points for issue-spotting and accurate rule statement rather than volume.
- Exam-day guideThe King's Inns Diploma assessments are run by the Honorable Society of King's Inns.