GRAB YOUR WRITING JOURNAL What do you think that means: “Equal

justice under law?” How does it apply to your life?

EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAW

A NATION OF LAWS Every society needs rules

Laws are society’s rules Laws set boundaries or limits on

behavior

MAKE A TABLECases where the law has been broken

Cases of conflict between people

Speeding ticketLawsuitArrest for assaultCar accident claimDivorce/child custodyChild abuse

MAKE A TABLECases where the law has been broken

Cases of conflict between people

Speeding ticketArrest for assault Child abuse

LawsuitCar accident claimDivorce/child custody

Speeding ticketLawsuitArrest for assaultCar accident claimDivorce/child custodyChild abuse

CRIMINAL LAW CIVIL LAW

CRIMINAL LAW 2 basic categories of law When people talk about breaking the

law, they are referring to a crime Crime is any behavior that is illegal

because society considers the behavior harmful to society

Criminal Law refers to the group of laws that define what acts are crimes

CIVIL LAW Civil law refers to the disputes between

people e.g. personal issues, such as contract

disputes, divorce proceedings and property boundaries

SOURCES OF LAW There are 4 sources of law: 1) Statutory Law

Laws that are passed by lawmaking bodies are known as statutes

Most criminal laws are statutory laws What majority of citizens believe to be

right or wrong

SOURCES OF LAW 2) Common Law

Judges and courts must often make decisions based on customs, traditions, and cases that have been decided before.

Common law is a type of law that comes from judges’ decisions that rely on common sense and previous cases

Judges must use precedent (an earlier decision) when considering cases

SOURCES OF LAW 3) Administrative Law

Administrative laws cover many areas of daily life, such as health and safety, education, and banking

e.g. when the CPSC says a particular toy is unsafe and must be taken off the shelves

SOURCES OF LAW 4) Constitutional Law

Based on the Constitution and on Supreme Court decisions interpreting the Constitution

e.g. 6th Amendment says defendant as the right to counsel; in Gideon v. Wainwright Supreme Court ruled free counsel must be given to those who cannot afford it.

ROLES OF THE COURTS Criminal cases are always society v.

individual Society represented by an attorney

Civil cases are between two people In criminal cases, accused has certain rights

and always innocent until proven guilty If a person is convicted of a crime, they have

the right to appeal the decision Have a higher court review the decision