Introduction to the Legal System

Legally binding agreements between two or more parties that outline the rights and obligations of each party involved.

The buying, selling, and ownership of property, including land and buildings.

The combining of two or more companies through various financial transactions, such as buying or selling of assets or shares.

Legal representation and defense for individuals or businesses facing criminal charges or liabilities.

Laws that regulate the relationship between employers and employees, including matters such as wages, working conditions, and employee rights.

Legal protection for original creations of the mind, such as inventions, artistic works, and symbols, to prevent unauthorized use or reproduction.

The different legal entities that businesses can adopt, such as sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or limited liability company (LLC).

Insurance or benefits provided to employees who are injured or become ill in the course of their employment.

Enforceable rules that govern how a society acts, with the purpose of maintaining peace, moral standards, and providing a basis for compromise.

The science of studying schools of legal thought, analyzing legal theories, and interpreting the law.

The historical reasoning behind modern-day laws, formed by ideas, customs, logic, and history, which serves as a basis for future legal decisions.

Laws based on religious, moral, and ethical principles inherent in human nature, such as laws against murder, stealing, etc.

Laws that are created by humans and are within written legal codes, such as speed limits and regulations.

The idea that law and moral values are separate, and there is no such thing as natural law, as all rules are dictated by the government.

A legal precedent-setting case that changes the interpretation of the law and/or establishes a new legal definition.

Unwritten laws or precedents established by courts through their decisions and interpretations of legal principles.

The principle of following legal precedents to establish consistency

federal authority over interstate waters

economic discrimination - example of Commerce Clause

commerce clause includes local regulation which might hurt commerce on interstate/federal territory

private relations within a community brought to court

• disputes

• claimant / plaintiff vs defendant

• remedy

• judgement

• probability

• private

concerned with crimes (breaking of laws)

• wrongs

• prosecutor vs defendant

• verdict

• conviction

• acquittal

• sentence

• punishment

• burden of proof

• public

proof beyond all doubt must be provided for a defendant to be conidered guilty (such a ruling would cause a loss of civil liberties, so extra caution must be taken)

entanglement of government with religion violates the first amendment

prohibition of religious practice violates the first amendment

a law must have a secular legislative purpose to not violate the first amendment

symbolic award for wrongings without real damages

if a potentially damaging scenario is actively entered, there is no ground to sue

plaintiff’s negligence contributes to injury, so plaintiff cannot collect

plaintiff and defense is assigned damage based on the degree of fault

in a contract, what is lost if a contract is breached must be specified in order to collect funds if either party takes too much time to fulfill their end of the contract