the american legal system: an overview
DESCRIPTION
The basics of the U.S. legal system, including types of law (constitutional, statutorial and administrative), types of offenses (criminal and civil) and an explanation of how the appeals process works.TRANSCRIPT
The American legal system
An overview
Sources of law
• Constitutional law– U.S. Constitution– State constitutions
• May grant more rights than the U.S. Constitution, but not fewer
• Same-sex marriage in Massachusetts– Judicial review
Sources of law
• Constitutional law• Statutory law
– Congress– State legislatures– Local authorities
Sources of law
• Constitutional law• Statutory law• Administrative law
– Federal Communications Commission
Criminal and civil law
• Criminal = offense against society
Criminal and civil law
• Criminal = offense against society• Civil = offense against individual(s)
Criminal and civil law
• Criminal = offense against society• Civil = offense against individual(s)• How would you categorize:
– Obscenity?
Criminal and civil law
• Criminal = offense against society• Civil = offense against individual(s)• How would you categorize:
– Obscenity?– Copyright infringement?
Criminal and civil law
• Criminal = offense against society• Civil = offense against individual(s)• How would you categorize:
– Obscenity?– Copyright infringement?– Reporting on the movement of troops in time
of war?
Criminal and civil law
• Criminal = offense against society• Civil = offense against individual(s)• How would you categorize:
– Obscenity?– Copyright infringement?– Reporting on the movement of troops in time
of war?– Invasion of privacy?
Types of civil law
• Contracts
Types of civil law
• Contracts• Torts
Types of civil law
• Contracts• Torts
– Common media torts:• Libel• Invasion of privacy• Copyright infringement
Court systems
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Appeals Courts
U.S. District Courts
State Supreme Courts
State Appeals Courts
State District Courts
U.S. Supreme Court
• Final word on U.S. Constitution
U.S. Supreme Court
• Final word on U.S. Constitution• Takes cases through a writ of certiorari —
“granting cert”
U.S. Supreme Court
• Final word on U.S. Constitution• Takes cases through a writ of certiorari —
“granting cert”• Only four of the nine justices are needed to
grant cert
U.S. Supreme Court
• Final word on U.S. Constitution• Takes cases through a writ of certiorari —
“granting cert”• Only four of the nine justices are needed to
grant cert• Chief justice is also administrative head of
federal court system
U.S. Supreme Court (2011)
U.S. Supreme Court
• John Roberts, 56Chief Justice
• Antonin Scalia, 75• Anthony
Kennedy, 75• Clarence
Thomas, 63
• Ruth BadeGinsburg, 78
• Stephen Breyer, 73• Samuel Alito, 61• Sonia
Sotomayor, 57• Elena Kagan, 51
Jurisdiction
• Geographic– Libel cases usually handled at state level– What if the parties are in different states?
Jurisdiction
• Geographic• Subject matter
– Copyright always handled at federal level– Obscenity can be handled at state or federal
level
Jurisdiction
• Geographic• Subject matter• Internet
– Cybersell of Florida and Arizona– Yahoo! and French law– “Libel tourism”
The appeals process
• “Justiciable controversy”– Courts cannot rule on cases that are not before
them– An exception: the Massachusetts Supreme
Judicial Court issues “advisory opinions”
The appeals process
• “Justiciable controversy”• Appeals courts do not retry cases
– Was the law correctly applied?– Is the law constitutional?– Rulings are decided on narrow grounds, and
cases are usually sent back to lower court
The appeals process
• “Justiciable controversy”• Appeals courts do not retry cases• Judges must follow precedent
– Relevant higher-court ruling prevails– Ruling from another district can be a guide– State and federal judges must consider each
other’s rulings– Doctrine of stare decisis