Introduction to Law CLU 3M

Lady Justice  What do you notice about Lady Justice?  How does she relate to our system of law?

Lady Justice  Toga: Roman legal tradition  Blind: all are equal before her  Female: kind and nurturing  Sword: the power to enforce her decisions  Scales: weigh evidence, truth, facts, disputants, rights  Book: Learning, wisdom, statutes, cases

Definition of Law  A set of rules for the benefit of society, established by the government, interpreted by the courts, and enforced by the police.

The Purpose of Law  Protect people and society  Maintain order and protect the system  Settle disputes

Early Lawmakers: Hammurabi  King of Babylon ca B.C.E.  Earliest codified law (written and organized)  300 laws were carved on stone columns and placed in the market places  Believed in retribution (“eye for an eye” quote in the bible is taken from Hammurabi’s code)  Laws given by the god Shamesh “that the strong shall not harm the weak”

Early Lawmakers: Moses  Leader of the Jews/Israelites ca B.C.E.  Most laws found in Exodus and Leviticus (books 2 and 3 of the Bible)  Includes the 10 commandments  Based on the idea of restitution (paying back)

Early Lawmakers: Romans  From 800 B.C.E. to nearly 500 C.E. the Romans were legal innovators and created a very modern system of law  Invented lawyers  Justinian’s code remained the most comprehensive legal code in Europe until it was revised by Napoleon 1500 years later