1. What are LAWS?
A system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior

2. What is the purpose of Laws?
Guide Behavior
Reinforce right vs. wrong
Protect us
Organize us
Provide us with a uniform set of standards
Institute formal or informal punishments

3. How do Laws Organize Us? Tells people how to function in society
Shapes our Government
Preserves things that are important to us
Safeguards our rights
Provides us with Legal Protections
Provides us with Services (FEMA)
Provides us with Protection(Army, Navy..)

4. What the two types of Law?
Civil
Regulate relations between individuals, and provides compensation if necessary
Criminal
Regulates public conduct and provides penalties for those who break the law

5. Formal vs. Informal In America we abide by two forms of punishments:
Formal: Jail, Fine, Probation
Informal: Yell at someone

6. Felony v. Misdemeanor
A FELONY is a crime that carries a punishment of more than a year in prison (theft, murder, DUI….)
A MISDEMEANOR is a crime that carries a punishment of less than a year in prison (petty theft, public intoxication, simple assault, trespassing, indecent exposure)

7. Where do Laws come from? ……HISTORY
Examples include: Hammurabi’s code (an “eye for an eye”), the 12 Tables (Rome), and Religious Law (Bible, Torah, Qu’aran)
ENGLISH LAW has a heavy influence upon American law
Common Law: Based upon common practices and past decisions by judges
Statutory Law: Laws written in codes, and passed by Legislature
“Habeas Corpus”: You can not be jailed without formal charges (means “you have the body”)