Actg 6100 Legal Issues Week One Introduction to Law

Chapter 1: Introduction to Law Chapter 4: Common Law Pgs 66-68

We depend upon the law to give us a stable nation and economy, a fair society, a safe place to live and work.

Sources of Law U.S. Constitution Legislative Branch - Statutes Judicial Branch - Common Law Administrative Agencies – Regulations Executive Branch – Executive Orders

Sources of Law U.S. Constitution –Establishes the national (federal) government and its 3 branches of government –Creates a system of checks and balances –Guarantees basic rights –Supreme Law of the Land

Sources of Law Legislative Branch – Statutes –Congress must have constitutional authority to pass the statute, for example the commerce clause –And, it must fashion that statute so that it does not infringe upon the fundamental rights protected by the constitution –Legislative bodies initiate the law making process

Sources of Law Judicial Branch – Common Law –“Common law” describes both the system and one of the products of that system –Stare Decisis – let the decision stand –Made on a case by case basis –Judicial branch is not “self – animating” – it acts only when the proper parties make the proper request.

Sources of Law Administrative Agencies –Enabling Statute –The scope of the agency’s authority is defined by that statute –Make –Investigate –Enforce –4 th branch of government?

Classifications of Law Criminal v Civil Federal v State Law v Morality/Ethics

Week One Assignment Take the “View on the American Legal System” survey Answer EITHER question 4 OR 5 on page 74 and upload to the D2L Dropbox. Submitting the survey is a condition to the dropbox.