Nothing Special   »   [go: up one dir, main page]

Chapter 1 Introduction To Law

Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 21

CHAPTER 1

Introduction to Law
Chapter Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should understand:
The definition of law
The role of law
The definition of ethics
The relationship between law and ethics
The relations between law & justice
The domains of law
The difference between private and public law
What is Law?
What is the Definition of Law?
A system of rules and regulations that govern a community and
enforced by a political authority and its legal system
The Law of the Land
Origins of Law
Specialization of skills over time forced greater interaction and
dependency between people

This greater interaction required rules and regulations to


maintain order within a community by providing:
1. Security of each member
2. Certainty for future planning
The Law of the Land
Origins of Law
In some communities, these rules developed as customs or
traditions

In other communities, they were written down

Early example of written law is


the Code of Hammurabi engraved
in a stone column
The Law of the Land
Origins of Law
Early homogenous communities needed simple laws

Over time, laws needed to be more complex because:


1. Population increased
2. Technological advances
3. Immigration patterns
The Law of the Land
Role of Law in Society Today
Ensure Security

Enforces Standards of Conduct

Maintains Status Quo


The Law of the Land
Who Decides the Law
The community through custom and tradition

An elder or the “wisest” man of the community

A ruler and conqueror of lands

Through democracy
Law & Justice
Does Law Equal Justice?

NO

YES

NOT SURE
Law & Justice
Why Doesn’t Law Always Equal Justice?
1. The law is written
Difficult to deter from and rigid (objective)

2. Enforced by judges
Judge has discretion in how a law is applied (subjective)

3. Laws are decided upon by a majority


Can’t always answer the needs of all, especially the minority
Law & Ethics
How Do We Define Ethics?
A set of principles or moral values of a society, distinguishing
right from wrong

Is Law and Ethics the Same?


Law can reflect ethical values
But the two can also conflict

HOW?
Law & Ethics
Ethics Plays a Balancing Role to Law
Law is founded in moral values, so need ethics to apply
Law not always clear, so use ethics to develop
Law may not exist to address new issues, so ethics must mold
Law & Ethics
An Ethical Value Becomes Law When:
It gains a large consensus amongst the population
It addresses an issue considered a serious threat to
the well being of the community
Domains of Law
Private Law
Rules that regulate the legal relationship between individual
citizens:
Contract law Employment law
Commercial law Property law

Public Law
Rules that govern the relationship between citizens and their
state:
Criminal law Tax law
Highway law Bankruptcy law
Domains of Law
Civil Law
Legislative authority to make law
Legislature codifies laws
Courts simply apply the law
France

Common Law
Basis for law is grounded in the principle of precedence
and case law or jurisprudence
Judge made law
England
Substantive vs. Adjectival Law
Substantive Law?
The law where we can find the “substance” of our rights
Such as the Civil Code of Quebec

Adjectival Law?
The procedures to protect substantive law
The Quebec Code of Civil Procedure
To Sue - The Five Ws
Why Sue?
Somebody owes you money or an obligation and refuses to
perform

What is Involved?
Start legal proceedings
Convince a judge
To Sue - The Five Ws
Who are the Parties?
Before lawsuit is filed: creditors and debtors
Inside court proceedings: plaintiff and defendant
To Sue - The Five Ws
Where do You Sue?
The Court of the place where:
1. the defendant lives
2. the defendant has property
3. the cause took place
4. the contract was finalized
5. the property in dispute is situated
To Sue - The Five Ws
When can you Sue?
From the moment we become aware
This right is limited in time

Prescription
A lapse of time extinguishes right to sue
In most cases 3 years
Three-year delay to claim damages for personal injury
or to property
The Legal System
3 Elements Make Up a Legal System:
1. The legislative mechanism
How laws are adopted

2. Laws (sources of law)


The rules of behaviour imposed or accepted by society

3. Administration and enforcement of laws


A system to impose punishment for breaking a law

You might also like