Law & Society
Commerce Syllabus Core Part 2.1
Agenda
The legal framework
Reasons for laws
The legal system
Court structure
Juries
Areas of law
Classifying laws
How laws are made
Common
Statute
Constitutions
Relationship of laws to values,
morals & ethics
How laws are changed
Using the legal system
Accessing the law
Cost
Time
Procedures
Language
Issues of fairness facing the law
(A) Learning The Lingo
Anarchy
Jury
Burden of Proof
Legally Binding Decision
Case
Natural Justice
Fundamental rights
Presumption Of Innocence
Indictable Offences
Summary Offences
Judge
The Lingo Explained
Anarchy
When there is no law or government, people are free
to do as they please and society is unable to function
Burden of Proof
The legal principle that the prosecution must prove
that the accused is guilty of the crime
Case
A proceeding in a court of law.
Fundamental rights
Those rights to which every human is entitled
Lingo (cont)
Indictable Offences
Serious offences that require a full trial with a jury.
Examples are armed robbery, murder and serious drug
offences
Judge
A highly trained legal professional who presides over
District, Supreme and High Courts. The judge’s role is
to advise the jury and pass the sentence
Jury
A group of people chosen randomly from the
community to determine the guilt or non-guilt of the
accused in serious criminal law matters
Lingo (cont)
Legally Binding Decision
An order that is given by a court and must be followed.
Natural Justice
The right to be treated fairly in legal matters
Presumption Of Innocence
The belief that a party accused of a crime is innocent unless
it is proven that the party has committed the crime.
Summary Offences
Less serious crimes that are dealt with by the Local Court.
An example is shoplifting
The Legal Framework
•Reasons for laws
•The legal system
•Court structure
•Juries
Reasons for Laws
(A)Why Do We
Need Laws?
What would society look like without laws?
Research Activity
1
Watch the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY9BmU_ECwI
2
Read the article
“Egyptians Defiant as Military Does Little to Quash Protests “
NYT 29/01/2011
3
Find one other current article on the
revolution in Egypt.
4
Name 3 consequences of the collapse
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/02/03/world/middleeast/20110203-tahrir-square-protestof law in Egypt
diagram.html?ref=middleeast&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha2#panel/3
What's The Difference?
Rules
Laws
Applies to some of
the people some of
the time, and can be
quite specific
Applies to all of the
people all of the time
Don’t stay up late on a
school night
Wash your hands after
you’ve used the toilet
Don’t wear blue and
green colours together
(blue and green should
never be seen)
Don’t trespass on others
property
Give way to the right at
a round about
Don’t download music
on a pay for play site
without paying for it
(A) At Gilroy we have rules and regulations
Create a table:
Column 1 heading: Gilroy rules and regulations
Column 2 heading: Established Laws in Society
In pairs compare at least 4 Gilroy rules to Law in Australia
The Legal System
Who Are The Players?
State = in NSW is the Local,
District & Supreme Courts
Federal = For all of Australian states and territories is the High
Court, Federal Court And Family Courts Of Australia
Who Does What!
Local Court
E.g. Waverley Local Court
District
E.g. Parramatta District
Court
Supreme Courts
E.g. Supreme Court of
NSW
High Court Of Australia
Federal Court Of Australia
Family Court Of Australia