UNIT #10 – CIVICS & ECONOMICS – NOTES
§10.1 – SOURCES & INFLUENCES OF AMERICAN LAW
INFLUENCES OF U.S. LAW
______________________________________________, 1700s BCE
 First known system of written law
 Over 280 harsh laws
 Legal Code – statements of what is legal & illegal
______________________________________________, 1200s BCE
 Found in the Bible
 Followed by Hebrews in ancient Palestine
 __________________________ – statements of what is right & wrong
______________________________________________, 600s BCE
 First written law of Athens, Greece
 Very harsh
 ____________________ – Revenge, punishment
 ____________________ – What is right & wrong according to law
______________________________________________, 500s CE
 Harsh Roman law
 Emperor Justinian I compiled & simplified all of the previous Roman codes of law in A.D. 533
______________________________________________, 1100s CE
 Most important source of American law
 Common law is law based on ___________________________________________________
 Established in many of the ______________________________________________
______________________________________________, 1215 CE
 __________________________________________________________
 __________________________________________________________
______________________________________________, 1689 CE
 Further ___________________ the ________________ of the British __________________________
 Holds many of the ideas that we now have in our _________________________________
o Freedom of _____________________
o Right to ___________________________
o No ______________________________________
______________________________________________, 1500s CE
 Oral constitution of a confederacy of 6 Native American tribes
 Inspired Benjamin ______________ & James ______________ when writing the U.S. __________________
______________________________________________
 Outlawed __________________ based on ______, ________, ____________, _____, or ________________________
 Prohibited discrimination in _____________________, in _______________ & in _________________
 It became illegal to compel __________________ of the races in _________, ____________, or _____________
______________________________________________
 ___________________ protest to influence society or govt.
 Examples: _________________________, ________, ________
SOURCES OF U.S. LAW
______________________________
 Some parts of Constitution give specific laws that apply everywhere in the U.S.
 Ex.: Constitution gives _________________ power to:
o
Establish ____________________ & ____________________
o
Make all laws that are ___________________________________ for executing this task
______________: ___________
 The Constitution gives Congress permission to pass laws about a limited number of topics.
 Ex.: Congress __________________ to:
o
_______________ the USPS
o
Direct the Postal Service to provide ______________________________________________
o
Authorize the Postal Service to __________________________________
______________________________________________
 Congress has the power to ________________, but __________________________.
 They give each agency the power to __________________________________________________.
 Regulations have power similar to a _______.
 Some regulations say what people _________________________.
 Ex.: USPS adopts regulations to:
o Establish rules for _________________________ at Post Offices around the country
o Limit what people are _______________________________________________
o Create _____________________________
__________________ (________________________________)
 The judicial system hears cases about violations of the ________________, the _______, & the ___________________
 The Code & the Regulations _____________________________________________
 The courts’ _________________________ of the Constitution, the Code, & the Regulations is like an _____________
VIEWS OF U.S. LAW
Laws are supposed to:
 __________________________________
 __________________________________
 __________________________________
 __________________________________
 __________________________________
 __________________________________
U.S. SYSTEM OF LAW
**U.S. COURT SYSTEM IS CALLED AN _______________________________________**
• An adversary is an _____________________: (p______________ v. d_______________)
• Courtroom puts people ____________________________________________________
UNIT #10 – CIVICS & ECONOMICS – NOTES
§10.2 – TYPES OF LAW; PROCEDURE, ACTORS, & OUTCOMES IN COURT CASES
___________________________________
 Using previous court cases to determine law
 Ex.: If restaurant owner __________________________________________________, courts would look back to
the decision in the _________________________________ case
 Began in ________________
 Deals with the use of ____________________
 Covers nearly all aspect of human life
 _______________________________ that has developed over centuries
 _____________________ through the _______________________
 TWO MAIN TYPES: _______________________ & ___________
_________________ LAW
 Laws that seek to
_________________________________________________________________________________
 ___________________ & _____________________________
TYPES OF ___________________ CASES
 ________________________ - lesser crimes
 ________________________ - serious/violent crimes
o Crimes against _____________
 _________________, _______________, _________________
 _________________, _______________, _________________
o Crimes against _____________
 _________________, _________________
 _________________, _______________, _________________
TYPES OF ___________________ CASES
 Dispute between ________________________________ usually involving ___________ or
_______________________
 Ex.: _________________, _______________________, ________________________ (that do not involve a
crime), _________________, _______________
MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE COURTROOM
 _________________: in __________________, injured party who brings action against ______________________
 _________________: Indv whom a ___________ is made against in court
o In ___________________, the defendant is the person being __________
o In ________________________, the defendant is the person __________________________________________
 ___________________ – _____________ cases: Legal _____________________ of the ________________
 Prosecutor is the _____________________ in Federal Courts, the __________________________ in State Courts
 ___________________________: Court-appointed _____________________ for ___________________
defendants that cannot _____________________________________
 ____________: An officer in State and Federal Courts whose duties include ______________________ in the
courtroom and ________________________________ in deliberation (discussion).
 ____________ - U.S. Citizens listen to cases to determine a person’s right to property, right to freedom, or in capital
cases, right to life
 Generated lists of jurors come from ____________________________ & ______________________________ lists
o __________________: CITIZENS DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO ___________ PERSON. THEY DO NOT
TAKE PART IN THE TRIALS, ONLY IN THE __________________ PROCESS (______________________
___________________________________________)
o _________ “________” _______: CITIZENS WHO SERVE AS ______________________ DURING TRIALS
(rule as _______________ or ____-___________)
___________________________________
 Refers to the party that has _______________________________________________________________________
 We are “__________________________________________”
BURDEN OF PROOF
_______________ CASE
___________ CASE
• ___________________ has the burden of proof
• _______________ has the burden of proof
• ______________ must be proven guilty
• _______________ must be proven guilty “with a
______________________________”
• “_______________________________”
• One side must present more ________________,
____________, & _____________ than the other side
CRIMINAL PUNISHMENTS
 Penalties vary according to _________________________________________________ (___th Amendment)
 Crime against ________________ will carry ____________________________________
Role of Punishment
o _________________________: Goal is to help criminals to ______________________________________________
o _________________________: _________________________________________________
 ___________________ SENTENCING
o Judge gives a ______________ of sentences
o Depends on ___________, ________________, etc.
 __________________ SENTENCING / _________________________: three times _____________ =
__________________
 ____________: ___________________________________
CIVIL COURT PROCEDURE
 Can take years to settle in court b/c of ____________________; most cases _________________________________
Steps:
 File a _________________: Formal statement naming __________, ______________, & _______________________
 _________________ is issued: Sent to the ________________________________________________
 Attorneys exchange ___________________: Complaint & defendant’s answer together
 Court ____________________: Attorneys present cases
 Judge or jury begin ___________________________
o “______________________________________________”
o Whoever has _______________________ wins
 _________________ is issued
o Plaintiff wins = _____________________________
o Plaintiff loses = ____________________ and _______________________
SPECIAL SYSTEMS OF LAW
 ___________________________
o Incl. rules & regulations made by __________________________________________
o Ex.: _______________________________________ creates a regulation __________ certain types of _________
 ___________________________
o Deal with _____________ (____________ law) that _________________________________________
o Ex.: _________________, _______________________________, ___________________ for work permits,
________________________, __________ requirements, etc.
 ___________________________
o Laws written in _________________ must be followed
o Ex.: Rights of the _____________, such as
 _____________________
 No ______________________________ (begin tried more than once for the same crime)
 To ______ & _______________ witnesses
 _______________________________
 ___________________________
o Made up of ____________, _______________, & ________________ with other _______________
o If broken, defendant can go to the __________________ (established by ________________________ in 1946)