Learning objectives

The course aims at introducing the students to the knowledge and comprehension of the foundations of private law, i.e. the fundamental concepts and legal rules governing private law relationships between individuals and corresponding remedies. Moreover, the students will familiarize with the methodological tools that are needed to analyse and solve private law cases with success. The students will acquire the ability to analyse and approach, in oral and written form, the basic legal issues concerning private law relationships between individuals and corresponding remedies, as well as to autonomously formulate judgments and arguments, on a basic level, with regard to cases, issues and legal situations submitted to their analysis and to critically adapt them to the changes in the context.

Prerequisites and basic notions

Being a first-year exam, there are no specific prerequisites other than those required to access the Degree Course.

Program

The Private Law in general – The subjective juridical situations – Juridical facts and acts - The subjects: natural person and legal entity – Goods and property rights – The obligation – The contract in general – Special contracts – Consumer contracts – Non-contractual obligations – Torts – The Family Law in general – Marriage – Parent-child relationship – The Law of Succession – Donations – Protection of rights.

Textbooks recommended:

1) one of the following textbooks as an alternative:

A. TRABUCCHI, Istituzioni di diritto civile, 50^ ed., Wolters Kluwer CEDAM, 2022
(excluded the parts regarding insolvency proceedings [Chapter IX, Sec. III], credit instruments and securities circulation [Chapter XII, Sec. IV], intellectual property and competition [Chapter XIII]);

or

A. TORRENTE – P. SCHLESINGER, Manuale di diritto privato, 25^ ed., Giuffrè, 2021
(excluded the parts regarding credit instruments, promissory notes, and cheques [Chapter LI, Section D), Chapter LII and Chapter LIII], companies and insolvency proceedings [Chapter LVI to Chapter LXIV]).

2) It is also recommended the latest edition of a Civil Code which includes, in addition to the main civil laws, the texts of the Constitution and the Treaties of the European Union:

G. DE NOVA, Codice civile e leggi collegate, Zanichelli Editore
A. DI MAJO, Codice civile, Giuffrè Editore
G. PERLINGIERI – M. ANGELONE, Codice civile, Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane
R. PUCELLA, Codice civile. Per la didattica e lo studio, Giappichelli Editore

Didactic methods

The teaching method consists of lectures also aimed at involving attending students in the reasoning process and solution of legal problems.

Learning assessment procedures

The exam takes place in two parts. The first part consists of a 30-minute pre-assessment written test with 20 multiple-choice questions, aimed at verifying the student's minimum mastery of the basic notions of private law. Grades are awarded by assigning 1 point for each correct answer and 0 points for each incorrect or not answered. The test is deemed passed with at least 14 correct answers.
The second part of the exam, an oral interview, provides for a more in-depth assessment of the theoretical and practical knowledge relating to the institutes covered by the program.
An intermediate test is planned.

Evaluation criteria

The following aspects are evaluated: 1) knowledge of the institutions and rules of private law; 2) the ability to to communicate using adequate technical-legal terms; 3) critical reasoning skills.
The outcome of the written pre-assessment test is “admitted/not admitted”. The evaluation of the oral interview is in thirtieths.

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

The final grade is given by the evaluation of the oral exam, which is accessed after passing the pre-assessment test.

Exam language

Italiano