1. Equal Justice under the Law
7th Grade Civics
Miss Smith
*pgs

2. Criminal Law
Crime- any behavior that is illegal because society, through its gov., considers the behavior harmful to society
Criminal law- group of laws that define what acts are crimes and how crimes should be punished
Criminal law keeps people from breaking laws and harming others

3. Civil Law
Civil law- group of laws that refer to disputes between people
If people cannot solve disputes with others privately, they go to court to settle it
A judge and maybe a jury will listen to the case
Ex: Judge Judy
Civil laws settle personal issues such as:
Contract disputes
Divorce proceedings
Property boundaries
What are the two basic categories of laws? Criminal and Civil
How do laws both guarantee and limit freedom? They don’t give people the freedom to act in ways that would hurt the freedom of others
How does the American political system help citizens influence what will become a law? We elect lawmakers

4. Sources of Law Statutory law Common law Administrative law
Military law
Constitutional law

5. Statutory Law Laws that are passed by lawmaking bodies
Congress and state and local govs. Pass these laws
Represent what the majority of citizens believe to be right or wrong
These laws can adapt to the countries needs
Most criminal laws and many civil laws are statutes

6. Common Law Common law- type of law that comes from judges’ decisions
Based on customs, traditions, common sense, and cases that have been decided before
Precedent- earlier decision
Common law is based on precedent

7. Administrative Law Laws created by government agencies
Cover many areas of daily life, such as:
Health safety
Education
Banking
Can you remember some examples from the Independent Agencies and Regulatory Commission lesson?
How are statutory law and administrative law different?
Statutory law is passed by lawmaking bodies, while administrative law is created by government agencies

8. Military Law Governs the behavior of members of the armed forces
The Uniform Code of Military Justice
The backbone of military law
Includes laws that are similar to civilian laws
Includes laws specific to the military, such as:
Desertion, treatment of prisoners, military trial process

9. Constitutional Law
Based on the U.S. Constitution and on the Supreme Court decisions interpreting the Constitution
Ex: Gideon v. Wainwright- Supreme Court cases that resulted in the requirement of free legal aid to those defendants who cannot afford to pay for legal representation
How are common law and constitutional law similar? Both depend on courts and judges decisions
List and describe the sources of law that exist in the U.S. (see sources of legislation How a Bill Becomes a Law notes)
Statutory- lawmaking bodies; common- precedent; administrative- gov. agencies; military- uniform code of military justice; constitutional- US Constitution and Supreme Court

10. Guess Which Type of Law
The Supreme Court has just ruled that segregation is illegal
Constitutional law
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has declared it illegal to sell unpasteurized milk
Administrative law
Florida created a law saying that all public buildings must have wheel chair ramps
Statutory law

11. Guess Which Type of Law
If you leaving your military station and return home without permission, you are AWOL (absent without official leave), which is illegal
Military law
Secret is a new app where friends can share info, there is no law saying you can’t admit to committing crimes on it, but a judge finds someone guilty of a crime when presented with evidence from the app
Common law

12. The Roles of the Courts
In criminal cases, disputes are between society and an individual
In criminal cases, the person accused of the crime (the defendant) has certain rights, such as:
Right to an attorney
Right to confront the accuser
Right to a jury trial
The defendant is always presumed innocent
The person bringing the charges (the prosecutor or plaintiff) must prove “beyond a reasonable doubt” that the defendant is guilty
What rights do people accused of crimes usually have? Right to an attorney, confront accuser, have a jury trial, and appeal a decision

13. The Roles of the Courts
People convicted of crimes can appeal the decision
Appeal- process of asking for a review of the court’s decision
In a civil dispute, both sides have attorneys or may represent themselves
Why do you think the accused is considered innocent until proven guilty? To make sure no one is convicted of a crime without proof
What is the purpose of the right of appeal? To make sure that cases are tried fairly and to correct any mistakes that may arise

14. Explain how laws and the courts protect U.S. citizen’s rights.
Close
Explain how laws and the courts protect U.S. citizen’s rights.