311
No society could exist without rules that define a person’s
rights and obligations. law is the set of rules by which a society is governed.
every country has its own legal system. the American legal system has its
roots in the common law practices of england, so called because the law
applied to everybody. common law systems are based upon legal precedents,
or earlier court rulings on similar cases. there are two separate levels of
courts in the united states—state and federal—to try cases involving either
state or federal laws. there are also two types of law—civil and public. civil
laws govern disputes between two parties, while public law relates to a
person’s obligations as a citizen. Known as the “law of laws,” the constitution
is the ultimate law in America—it has force over all other national and state
laws, and contains conditions that all laws must meet.Law 311-
the romans developed the most
complete system of laws in the
ancient world. By the 6th century
ce, roman emperor Justinian i
(shown on the coin above) had
collected the laws of the empire
together into a comprehensive
code that is still influential today.PuBlic lAw
A person’s rights and duties as
a member of a community, and as a
citizen, are established by public law.
its branches include: criminal law,
which defines crimes and rules for
arrest, trial, and punishment;
constitutional law, which relates to
the rights and responsibilities set
forth by the constitution;
administrative law, which deals with
the day-to-day workings of the
government; and international law,
which concerns agreements between
countries. in a public law court, the
government tries a person who has
committed a specific crime.The police enforce
criminal law, which is a
part of public law. This
officer is issuing a
speeding ticket.history of AmericAN lAw
colonial American lawyers used
english law books and english court
rules. After independence, American law
rapidly outgrew its english roots, especially
property and business law. common law remained at
the core of the us legal system, and was followed
in every state except louisiana. louisiana
was originally colonized by the french,
which meant that french law codes were
practiced there for many years.law
civil lAw
civil law cases concern people’s rights and responsibilities in their
relations with other people. some of the matters dealt with by civil
law include property ownership, marriage and divorce, adoption
and child support, contracts and other business agreements, and
wills and inheritance. if a person feels their
civil-law rights have been violated in some
way, they may file a civil suit, or lawsuit, in
court (left). the court will decide whether
any amends should be made. typical civil
law cases involve landlord and tenant
disagreements, child custody disputes,
insurance claims, traffic accidents, and
medical malpractice.Justice for All
statues representing justice wear a blindfold to show that
all people are entitled to equal treatment under the law,
regardless of their social status, class, or race. the scales
show that justice—through the law—weighs opposing
evidence like a balance weighs goods. the sword
represents swift punishment for the guilty. however,
sometimes not all law is fair, as governments can make
laws that remove freedoms, as well as safeguard them.A figure representing
justice holds the scales.
The courthouse and jail in
Marietta Ohio, were built in 1798.US_311_Law_1.indd 311 22/01/16 11:10 am