Business Law Flashcards

Business Law: BL 110

  • Instructor: Mr. Nicholas A. Ricci
  • Credits: 3
  • Hours: 3 hours lecture/discussion per week
  • Email: nricci@pims.edu

Intro to the US Government & Legal System

Intro To Law

  • Law:
    • Governmental rule prescribing conduct and carrying a penalty for violation.
  • Constitution:
    • It all started with the Constitution
    • Federal Constitution
    • World’s longest surviving written charter of government
    • Created US Government – Create and maintain laws
    • Dynamic – Ever-changing
    • Amended 27 times (Most recent = 1992)
    • First ten amendments = Bill of Rights.

Amendment Rights and Protections

  • First:
    • Freedom of: Speech, Press, Religion; Assemble; Petition the government
  • Second:
    • Right to bear arms
  • Third:
    • Protection against housing soldiers in civilian homes
  • Fourth:
    • Protection against unreasonable search and seizure
    • Protection against the issuing of warrants without probable cause
  • Fifth:
    • Protection against:
      • Trial without indictment
      • Double jeopardy
      • Self-incrimination
      • Property seizure
  • Sixth:
    • Right to a speedy trial; Be informed of charges; Be confronted by witnesses; Call witnesses; Legal counsel.
  • Seventh:
    • Right to trial by jury
  • Eighth:
    • Protection against, excessive bail, excessive fines, cruel and unusual punishment
  • Ninth:
    • Rights granted in the Constitution shall not infringe on other rights.
  • Tenth:
    • Powers not granted to the Federal Government in the Constitution belong to the states or the people.

State Constitutions

  • Powers not granted to the Federal Government in the Constitution belong to the states or the people
  • Each state has its own constitution, with varying numbers of constitutions and years of current version adoption.
    • Alabama: 6 constitutions, current version 1901
    • Alaska: 1 constitution, current version 1959
    • Arizona: 1 constitution, current version 1912
    • Arkansas: 4 constitutions, current version 1874
    • California: 2 constitutions, current version 1880
    • Colorado: 1 constitution, current version 1876
    • Connecticut: 2 constitutions, current version 1965
    • Delaware: 4 constitutions, current version 1897
    • Florida: 6 constitutions, current version 1969
    • Georgia: 9 constitutions, current version 1983
    • Hawaii: 1 constitution, current version 1959
    • Idaho: 1 constitution, current version 1890
    • Illinois: 4 constitutions, current version 1971
    • Indiana: 2 constitutions, current version 1851
    • Iowa: 2 constitutions, current version 1857
    • Kansas: 4 constitutions, current version 1861
    • Kentucky: 4 constitutions, current version 1891
    • Louisiana: 11 constitutions, current version 1975
    • Maine: 1 constitution, current version 1820
    • Maryland: 4 constitutions, current version 1867
    • Massachusetts: 1 constitution, current version 1780
    • Michigan: 4 constitutions, current version 1964
    • Minnesota: 1 constitution, current version 1858
    • Mississippi: 4 constitutions, current version 1890
    • Missouri: 4 constitutions, current version 1945
    • Montana: 2 constitutions, current version 1973
    • Nebraska: 2 constitutions, current version 1875
    • Nevada: 1 constitution, current version 1864
    • New Hampshire: 3 constitutions, current version 1793
    • New Jersey: 3 constitutions, current version 1948
    • New Mexico: 1 constitution, current version 1912
    • New York: 4 constitutions, current version 1895
    • North Carolina: 4 constitutions, current version 1971
    • North Dakota: 1 constitution, current version 1889
    • Ohio: 2 constitutions, current version 1851
    • Oklahoma: 1 constitution, current version 1907
    • Oregon: 1 constitution, current version 1859
    • Pennsylvania: 5 constitutions, current version 1968
    • Rhode Island: 2 constitutions, current version 1986
    • South Carolina: 6 constitutions, current version 1896
    • South Dakota: 1 constitution, current version 1889
    • Tennessee: 3 constitutions, current version 1870
    • Texas: 4 constitutions, current version 1876
    • Utah: 1 constitution, current version 1896
    • Vermont: 1 constitution, current version 1793
    • Virginia: 7 constitutions, current version 1971
    • Washington: 1 constitution, current version 1889
    • West Virginia: 1 constitution, current version 1872
    • Wisconsin: 1 constitution, current version 1848
    • Wyoming: 1 constitution, current version 1890

Powers of Congress

  • The Constitution assigned Congress the responsibility of:
    • Making all laws necessary for executing these powers
    • Federal & State Statutes - Laws which are enacted by legislative bodies.
    • Municipal Ordinances - Law enacted by a local unit of government.
    • Declaring war
      • Last done – WWII (1941 & 1942)
      • “Authorizing the use of military force”
    • Raising tax revenue
    • Organizing the executive and judicial branches
    • Separation of powers

Separation of Powers

  • Separation of powers – Three branches of government

Legislative Branch – Congress

  • Duty: Make the laws
  • Two sub-divisions:
    • Senate - Two reps per state
    • House of Representatives
      • By population
      • Total reps. = 435 total
  • Checks and balances:
    • Senate advise/consent on key executive and judicial appointments & approval for ratification of treaties.

Executive Branch – President of the United States

  • Other Members: Vice President and Cabinet
  • Duty: Enforce/uphold the law
  • Checks and balances:
    • President is permitted to veto specific legislative acts
    • Congress has the authority to override presidential vetoes by two-thirds majorities of both houses.

Judicial Branch – Supreme Court of the United States

  • Duty: Interpret the Law
  • Common Law - The body of law deriving from judicial decisions, rather than from statutes or constitutions.

Common Law

  • Common Law - The body of law deriving from judicial decisions, rather than from statutes or constitutions.
    • AKA “Case Law”
    • Judge-made law
    • “Stare Decisis”
      • Stare decisis – the principle that the decision of a higher court should serve as a guide or precedent and control the decision of a similar case in the future.

Stare Decisis

  • “Stare Decisis” = Precedent
  • Case law at federal and state level sets “precedent”
  • Interpretation of the law
  • Past interpretation is applied to future cases
  • New cases can create new precedent
  • New interpretation does not affect past outcomes

Factors Influencing Weight of Precedent

  • Factors that can influence the weight of a precedent:
    • Binding or non-binding jurisdiction
    • Level of court that decided previous case
    • Judge
    • Year or era of the case
    • Unanimous vs non-unanimous (concurring vs. dissenting)
    • State decisions that are close in proximity or similar in economic standing

3 Branches of U.S. Government

  • Legislative
    • (makes laws)
    • Congress
      • Senate
      • House of Representatives
  • Executive
    • (carries out laws)
    • President
      • Vice President
      • Cabinet
  • Judicial
    • (interprets laws)
    • Supreme Court
      • Federal Courts
  • Constitution
    • (provided a separation of powers)

Federal, State, Local Law

  • Legislative Branch
    • Federal: Federal Congress, Senate & House
    • State: State Assembly, Senate & House
    • Local: City/Municipal Council
  • Judicial Branch
    • Federal: Federal Supreme Court
    • State: State Supreme Court
    • Local: Local/Magisterial Courts
  • Executive Branch
    • Federal: President, Vice President, Cabinet
    • State: State Governor
    • Local: Mayor

Types of Law

The Judicial Process

Types of Law

  • Torts
  • Civil
    • Business
    • Contracts
    • Property
  • Criminal

Types of Law Definitions

  • Civil Law - the body of law concerned with private or purely personal rights.
  • Tort Law - a private or civil wrong against a person or his or her property, other than by breach of contract, for which there may be action for damages.
  • Contract Law
  • Business Law - rules of conduct for the performance of business transactions.
  • Property Law
  • Criminal Law - laws dealing with crimes and the punishment of wrongdoers.

The Judicial Process - Complaint

  • It all starts with a complaint…

Civil Law

  • Plaintiff – the party who initiates a civil action.
  • Defendant – the party against whom legal action is brought.

Criminal Law

  • Government (Plaintiff) vs. Individual (Defendant)
    • Federal
    • State
    • Municipal

The Judicial Process - Jurisdiction

  • It’s all about jurisdiction…
    • Jurisdiction – The power/authority of a court to hear cases.
    • Geography or subject matter:
      • Diversity – Different states
      • Federal Issue - Constitution-related
      • Patent law
      • Bankruptcy
    • Appeal - Request to a higher court to review a lower court’s decision.
      • Specific procedure at State and Federal Level

The State Court System

Inferior Courts

  • “Courts of common pleas”, or “small claims court”
  • What type of cases?
    • Misdemeanors
    • Below a specified dollar value.
    • Certain subject matter (juvenile or family law)
  • Typical characteristics:
    • Parties represent themselves
    • No formal rules
    • Not published – no value of precedent

Trial Courts

  • Trial court – Conducts the original trial of a case.
  • What type of cases?
    • General jurisdiction – all subject matter.
    • Civil – Private parties
    • Criminal – Brought by the state
  • Characteristics:
    • One judge to determine facts of the case.
    • Judge or jury “finds”
    • Settlement may occur

Appellate Court

  • Appellate Court- courts hearing cases appealed from a lower court.
  • Appellant vs. Appellee
  • Was there error?
  • Confirm, reverse, remand, new trial
  • Special state jurisdictions:
    • Probate courts
    • Domestic relations court

State Supreme Court

  • Final State Appeal
  • Appellant vs. Appellee
  • Was there error?
  • Confirm
  • Reverse
  • Remand
  • New trial

Number of Justices on Supreme Court

  • The number of justices on the Supreme Court varies by state
    • 5
      • Arkansas
      • Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals
    • 7
      • Arizona
      • Kentucky
      • Mississippi
      • Nebraska
      • Nevada
      • New Mexico
      • North Dakota
      • Oregon
      • South Dakota
      • Washington
    • 9
      • Alabama
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Idaho
      • Illinois
      • Indiana
      • Iowa
      • Kansas
      • Louisiana
      • Maine
      • Maryland
      • Michigan
      • Minnesota
      • Missouri
      • Montana
      • New York
      • North Carolina
      • Ohio
      • Pennsylvania
      • South Carolina
      • Tennessee
      • Texas
      • Utah
      • Vermont
      • West Virginia
      • Wisconsin
      • Wyoming

Term Length of State Supreme Court Justices

  • 6 years
    • Arkansas
    • Oklahoma
  • 7 years
    • Arizona
    • Delaware
    • Kentucky
    • Maryland
      • Mississippi
    • Nebraska
    • Nevada
    • New Mexico
    • North Dakota
    • Oregon
    • South Dakota
  • 8 years * Alabama
    • California
    • Colorado
    • Florida
    • Idaho
    • Illinois
    • Kansas
    • Louisiana
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Missouri
    • Montana
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • Ohio
    • Pennsylvania
    • South Carolina
    • Tennessee
    • Texas
    • Utah
    • Vermont
    • West Virginia
    • Wisconsin
    • Wyoming
  • 10 years
    • Indiana
    • 12 years
    • Iowa
  • 14 years
    • Georgia
  • 15 years
    • West Virginia
  • Life
    • District of Columbia
      • Rhode Island
  • Until age 70
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire

Selection of State Supreme Court Judges

  • Merit selection
    • Elected officials appoint judges from lists of candidates screened by experts
  • Partisan election
    • Voters select candidates running with party affiliation
  • Nonpartisan election
    • Voters select candidates running without official party ties
  • Legislature appointment
    • Without screening of candidates by outside group
  • Governor appointment
    • Without screening of candidates by outside group

The Federal Court System

District Courts

  • Mirrors the state system
  • Equivalent of Trial Courts at State level
  • At least one within each state.

Circuit Courts

  • Divided into thirteen circuits

Supreme Court of the United States

  • Hears cases from:
    • All US Courts of Appeals
    • Certain issues from Federal District Courts
    • Highest State Courts
  • Must hear certain types of cases, has discretion to hear other types.
    • Federal questions
    • Diversity
      • Residents of different states
      • Over 75K
    • Land grants involving states
    • US is a party
    • Treaties/diplomas
  • Decisions are binding on all other courts