STREET LAW
Chapter 1: What Is Law
WHAT IS LAW
Rules and regulations made and enforced by
government that regulate the conduct of people
within a society.
PROBLEM 1.1
Read problem 1.1 on page 5 of your textbook. Be prepared
to share your answers and defend them.
LAW AND VALUES
Law and Values

Legal system is influenced
by our society’s traditional
idea of right and wrong
Legal System Goals
1.
Protecting basic human
rights
2.
Promoting fairness
3.
Helping resolve conflicts
4.
Promoting order and
stability
5.
Promoting desirable social
and economic behavior
6.
Representing the will of
the majority
7.
Protecting the rights of
minotorities
LAW AND VALUES

Laws can be based on 4 different values:




Moral Value
Economic Value
Political Value
Social Value
Moral
Values
•Fundamental
questions
of right and wrong
•Example: Laws
against
killing people
•What
are some
circumstances where
society allows for the
killing of people?
Economic
Value
•Deal
with
accumulation,
preservation, use and
distribution of wealth.
•Many
laws promote
economic values
•Let’s
read on page 7
the examples
Political
Values
•Reflects
the relationship
between government
and individuals
•Laws
making it easier to
vote promote citizen
participation in political
process
•Citizen
participation is
basic American political
value
Social
Values
•Concern
issues that are
important to society
•Social
•What
values can change
laws do you think
deal with social values?
Problem 1.3
Pg. 8
For each of the following laws, indicate whether moral,
economic, political or social values are involved. Explain
your responses.
A. All drives must stop at stop signs.
B. It is a crime to cheat on your tax return.
C. All citizens may vote at age 18.
D. Special government programs lend money to minorityowned businesses at low interest rates.
E. Government officials may not accept gifts from people
who want them to pass certain laws.
F. Possession of marijuana is a crime.
HUMAN RIGHTS

All the rights people have because they are human beings.

Advocating human rights:


Demand the dignity of all humans be respected.
Where do people’s human right’s apply?

Homes

Schools

Workplace
Everywhere
KINDS OF LAWS
CRIMINAL LAWS



Regulate public conduct and
set out duties owed to
society.
Brought by the government
against a person committing
a crime
2 types of criminal laws:


Felonies
Misdemeanors
CIVIL LAWS



Regulate relations between
individuals or groups of
individuals
Civil Action- lawsuit brought
against one person by
another person
Regulate- marriage, divorce,
contracts, real estate,
insurance, consumer
protection and negligence
OUR CONSTITUTIONAL
FRAME WORK

Limited government:
-to keep the federal government from having too much power

Checks and Balances:
-to prevent one branch of the U.S. government from becoming
too powerful

Reasons Supreme Court can declare a law
unconstitutional:
1.
2.
Government passed a laws the Constitution does not give it
power to pass
Passed a laws that violates someone’s rights.