Case Study Donna Estes was driving south on National Avenue. She was doing 60 mph in a 50 mph zone. Wilma Sexton was driving north on the same street at the same time. She had been drinking and was weaving back and forth in her lane. Suddenly, Wilma noticed she was about to miss her turn. Signaling for a brief second, she made an abrupt left in front of Donna’s vehicle. The cars collided. Both women received lacerations and broken bones. Both cars were totaled. 1. Who was at “fault”? 2. What arguments would Donna’s attorney present at the civil trial to determine who was negligent? 3. What arguments would Wilma’s attorney present? Read this case study and be ready to discuss questions – do not need to write in notes

What is a LAW ? Law = enforceable rules of conduct in a society that reflect the culture and circumstances that create them Laws should be 2 things: 1. Predictable 2. Flexible (do not need to write these) Why do we need protections from the conduct of others? The need for laws has not changed significantly over the years.

Stare Decisis Stare Decisis = the legal principle of following precedents in deciding a case. This follows the idea that future decisions of a court should follow the example set by the prior decisions. (do not need to write this) When a case is to be decided, previous cases with the same or similar facts and legal issues are studied and relied upon to help decide the current case. The way in which a past case involving similar facts and legal issues was analyzed and resolved sets the precedent for how the current case will be analyzed and decided. This is why there is a great deal of consistency in how the law is interpreted and applied. This system allows for a high degree of reliability.

Law Lists on a separate Word document Make a list of laws or rules the school enforces. Make a second list of laws or rules you must live by in your family. How do each of these laws affect your lives? Which laws would you change if you could? How would the change affect the school or your family?

Watch this video What Are the Difference Between Civil and Criminal Trials? By Defense Attorney Kevin Hayslett

Civil Law Definition = civil law deals with the disputes between individuals, organizations, or between the two, in which compensation is awarded to the victim. Purpose = to deal with the disputes between individuals, organizations,or between the two, in which compensation is awarded to the victim.

Criminal Law Definition = criminal law is the body of law that deals with crime and the legal punishment of criminal offenses. Purpose = to maintain the stability of the state and society by punishing offenders and deterring them and others from offending.

A violation may be both a crime and a civil offense!

Activity  Search the internet to find one criminal case and one civil case to summarize and analyze. You will want to find cases that have enough information for you to write about. Think: Who, what, when, where, why, and how?