Download Types of Law - Lepley

Types of Law
Criminal Law
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laws that seek to prevent people from deliberately or recklessly
harming each other or each others property
tried in courtroom in which lawyers from opposing sides try to
present their stronger cases
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adversarial process
judges should be impartial and be fair to each side
Government is always the plaintiff, or party that brings charges
against the alleged criminal
The defendant is a group or person accused of a crime
Felonies are serious crimes such as murder, rape, kidnapping, and
robbery
Misdemeanors are offenses such as vandalism, stealing inexpensive
items, etc.
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Punished with a fine or a jail sentence of less than one year
Civil Law
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disputes between people or groups of people, in which
no criminal laws have been broken
Lawsuit
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Tort
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Legal action in which a person or group sues to collect damages
for some harm that is done
Legal action when a person has suffered an injury and claim that
another party is responsible due to negligence
Family law
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Deals with family issue and problems such as divorce, child
custody, adoption, alimony, child support, and spouse and child
support
Constitutional Law
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involves rights guaranteed under the
Constitution, amendments, congressional
legislation
Administrative Law
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involves all rules and regulations that
government agencies of the executive
branch must issue to carry out their jobs
Statutory Law
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deals with law written by a legislative
branch of government
examples: setting speed limits, specifying
rules for inspecting food products, setting
minimum age to obtain a work permit,
etc.
International Law
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involves treaties, customs, and
agreements among nations