1: Law and Legal Systems
- Page ID
- 11144
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)After reading this chapter, you should understand the following:
- Distinguish different philosophies of law—schools of legal thought—and explain their relevance.
- Identify the various aims that a functioning legal system can serve.
- Explain how politics and law are related.
- Identify the sources of law and which laws have priority over other laws.
- Understand some basic differences between the US legal system and other legal systems.
Law has different meanings as well as different functions. Philosophers have considered issues of justice and law for centuries, and several different approaches, or schools of legal thought, have emerged. In this chapter, we will look at those different meanings and approaches and will consider how social and political dynamics interact with the ideas that animate the various schools of legal thought. We will also look at typical sources of “positive law” in the United States and how some of those sources have priority over others, and we will set out some basic differences between the US legal system and other legal systems.
- 1.1: What Is Law?
- This page explores the complex nature of law as defined by Black’s Law Dictionary, highlighting its role in maintaining peace and promoting social justice. It addresses historical challenges in post-colonial contexts and ethnic conflicts, particularly in Rwanda and Yugoslavia. The interaction between law and politics in the U.S. is examined, including how laws are created, enforced, and influenced by interest groups.
- 1.2: Schools of Legal Thought
- This page explores various legal philosophies, highlighting legal positivism and natural law as predominant schools. Legal positivism sees law as sovereign command, while natural law aligns law with universal morality, supporting civil disobedience. It discusses critical legal studies ("Crits") and ecofeminism, emphasizing law as a reflection of power dynamics and critiques of oppression.
- 1.3: Basic Concepts and Categories of US Positive Law
- This page outlines key legal concepts, highlighting the differences between contract and tort law, state and federal law, and civil versus criminal cases. It emphasizes that laws reflect societal moral standards, governing areas such as property rights. Additionally, it distinguishes between substantive and procedural laws, showcasing examples like traffic violations.
- 1.4: Sources of Law and Their Priority
- This page covers the sources of law in the US legal system, including constitutions, statutes, regulations, and judicial decisions, emphasizing the hierarchy where statutes generally precede case law. It explains the roles of Congress, state legislatures, and administrative agencies in law-making and the impact of treaties. Additionally, it addresses the importance of judicial reasoning, differing legal philosophies among judges, and the evolution of common law.
- 1.5: Legal and Political Systems of the World
- This page contrasts common-law and civil-law systems. Common-law, rooted in English traditions, emphasizes precedent and jury involvement, and is prevalent in the US and former British colonies. Civil-law, derived from Roman law, relies on comprehensive legislative codes, with judges making decisions without juries or precedents. Civil-law is common in Europe and influential in Central and South America, as well as parts of Asia and Africa.
- 1.6: A Sample Case
- This page addresses Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on various factors. It focuses on the case Harris v. Forklift Systems, where the Supreme Court ruled that a hostile work environment can be defined by pervasive discriminatory behavior without needing evidence of severe psychological harm.
- 1.7: Summary and Exercises
- This page covers global legal systems, focusing on the U.S. legal framework based on the Constitution and natural law theory. It examines the roles of law in maintaining order and freedoms across different countries, introduces major legal philosophies like natural law and legal realism, and differentiates between common and civil law systems. Additionally, it discusses sources of law and their authority, highlighting constitutional supremacy, and includes exercises to enhance comprehension.
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