1. What is a Law? Law-rules and regulations made and enforced by
government that regulate the conduct of people , within a society.

2. Rules v. Laws What is the difference between a rule and a law?
What are examples of rules?
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3. Why have laws? 1. Promote fairness 2. Protect human rights
3. Help resolve conflicts
4. Promote order and stability
5. Promote desirable social and economic behavior
6. Represent the will of the majority
7. Protect the rights of minorities

4. Values that are the basis for laws
Moral- deal with fundamental questions of right and wrong
Economic- accumulating, preservation, use and distribution of wealth
Political- reflect the relation between government and individuals
Social- issues that are important to us as a society

5. Criminal Laws v. Civil Laws
Regulate public conduct and set out duties owed to society. Legal action brought b y the government against a person charged with committing a crime.
Criminal laws have penalties and offenders are imprisoned, fined, placed under supervision, or punished in some other way

6. Criminal Laws v. Civil Laws
Regulate relationships between individuals or groups of individuals. A civil action can be brought by a person who feels wronged or injured by another person.
Courts can award money for the loss or order the person who committed the wrong to make amends in some other way.
Examples of civil laws are marriage ,divorce, contracts, real estate, insurance and negligence.

7. Criminal Laws v. Civil Laws
Felonies- penalty is a term of more than one year in prisons
Misdemeanors- penalty is a term of less one year or less in jail

8. Criminal Laws v. Civil Laws
Parties involved in legal action
Criminal cases –Prosecutor (government) brings charges against the defendant
Civil Cases – Plaintiff files a lawsuit against the defendant

9. Criminal Laws v. Civil Laws
Burden of Proof
Criminal-beyond a reasonable doubt (90% certain the accused committed the crime)
Civil- by a preponderance of the evidence (51% certain the accused is responsible)

10. Constitution Highest law in the land Basic Framework of our government
Bill of Rights- 1st 10 amendments to the Constitution –defines and guarantees fundamental rights and liberties of all Americans

11. Branches of Government

12. Branches of Government
Legislative- Constitutional lawmaking power- Congress passes laws (statutes)
Executive- assist in the enforcement of laws- president and federal agencies
Judicial- court rulings (precedents) have the effect of laws

13. Legislative Branch
Makes the Laws

14. Legislative Branch 435 Members in the House of Representatives
Makes the Laws
435 Members in the House of Representatives
100 members in the Senate

15. Illinois Senators
Senator Richard Durbin
Senator Mark Kirk

16. Executive Branch- President Obama and Vice Pres Biden

17. Executive Branch- White House

18. Judicial Branch- Supreme Court

19. Checks and Balances
Separation of powers among the three branches of government
Designed to prevent one branch from becoming too powerful and abusing its power

20. Checks and Balances Important checks that affect lawmaking power:
Legislative - approve appointments of federal judges
Executive- veto power- reject a law
Judicial – judicial review- declare laws unconstitutional
Enables a court to cancel any law passed by Congress or a state legislature if it conflicts with the nation's highest law

21. Separation of Powers
Division of power between the three branches of the government.

22. FEDERALISM Division of power between states and federal government
Areas of federal lawmaking authority are listed in the Constitution
The remaining powers are delegated to the states.

23. Limited Government
Concept that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed

24. Criteria for Effective Laws
Fair
Understandable to the Public
Enforceable
Expected to solve a problem