2. A system of instruction or study of law focused
upon the analysis of court opinions rather than
lectures and textbooks. One of the main
components in the Legal Clinical Education.
Example: Juvenile Delinquency is a result of
broken families or abusive/alcoholic father or
Poverty-ridden families.
Case study: Juveniles, their experiences with life,
their crimes, their behavior etc.
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3. Determine the Research Question.
Choose the cases.
Data Collection Process/Methodology.
Actual collection & Compilation of data.
Analyze the data.
Final Report.
Case: Nivedita Jha v. The State Of Bihar, SLP(C)
24978/2018: Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)
Mumbai submitted a case study to the Bihar
government on Children Shelter Home.
(Muzaffarpur Shelter Home case)
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4. REGINA v Kiranjit Ahluwalia (1992)
4 All ER 889
Facts of the Case: Kiranjit had been subjected to appalling
domestic violence from the outset of her 10-year marriage. Her
husband would beat her up on a regular basis. One night, while
her husband lay sleeping, Kiranjit fetched some petrol and
poured it over the bed and set it alight. Due to severe burning
her husband died.
Issues in the case:
1. Whether the history of domestic violence amounted to
provocation?
2. Whether the appellant’s characteristics were considered
correctly in deciding the case during trial?
3. Whether fresh medical evidence can be accepted and the
appellant’s plea for diminished responsibility granted on
the basis of the same.
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5. Judgment
She was charged with his murder and sentenced to
life imprisonment.
Case Study
It was acknowledged that the traditional common
law definitions of self-defence or provocation
precluded such defence to be used in a case such as
that of Kiranjit Ahluwalia.
After-effect of her case study
Her case led to leading psychiatrists in the UK and
US establishing the diagnosis of battered woman's
syndrome. This mental disorder is developed by a
woman after years of brutal domestic abuse which
may include physical torture, sexual violence and
psychological abuse.
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6. Impact in other countries:
India: This case Manju Lakra v. State of Assam, 2013
SCC Online Gau 207, acknowledged that battered
women may be compelled to cause the death of their
husbands due to domestic violence
United Kingdom
United States
Australia
Canada
New Zealand
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