(ALS) The American Legal System Module Overview
The American Legal System Module Overview
This unit of study is one of my favorites. It is also one of the largest in the course! This unit is about the legal system. We will start with where laws come from. Next we will learn about America's Dual Court System. We will then see how an arrest works its way through the court system.
We will then focus on Constitutional rights. We will learn what our rights are. From there we will learn how the Constitution not only gives police their power, but also defines the limits of that power. We will then review current legal issues in all the LPSCS fields.
Essential Questions
- Where does law come from?
- What is the dual court system? What is the process from arrest to sentencing?
- What is civil law?
- What are our rights?
- How is police power regulated?
- What are the legal issues in LPSCS today?
- How do cases become case law?
Key Words
- Ordinance - a piece of legislation enacted by a municipal authority
- Precedent - an earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances
- Jurisdiction - the official power to make legal decisions and judgments
- Warrant - a document issued by a court that gives the police the power to do something
- Diversion - an instance of turning something aside from its course
- Stigma - a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person
- Coercion - the practice of persuading someone to do something by using force or threats
- Alibi - a claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when an act, typically a criminal one, is alleged to have taken place
- Entrapment - in criminal law, entrapment is when a law enforcement agent induces a person to commit an offense that the person would have otherwise been unlikely to commit
- Justification - the action of showing something to be right or reasonable
- Preponderance - the quality or fact of being greater in number, quantity, or importance
- Compensatory - a payment intended to recompense someone who has experienced loss, suffering, or injury
- Punitive - inflicting or intended as punishment
- Inevitable - certain to happen; unavoidable
- Impartial - treating all rivals or disputants equally; fair and just
- Compulsory - required by law or a rule; obligatory
- Enumerate - to specify one after another
- Arbitrary - based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system
- Vague - of uncertain, indefinite, or unclear character or meaning
- Indigent - poor; needy.
Key Words Review
After reviewing your key words for this module, complete he reviee activity below:
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