Types of Laws

15.2
 Criminal Law
Criminal laws seek to prevent people from
deliberately harming each other or each
others property
American courts operate on an adversary
system; the courtroom serves as an arena
where lawyers present cases to an impartial
judge
In criminal cases, the government is always
the plaintif, the party that brings the charges
against the accused; the individual or group
accused of the crime is the defendant
 Criminal Law
Felonies are serious crimes such as murder, rape,
kidnapping, or robbery and have serious
consequences
Misdemeanors are less serious crimes such as
vandalism, these are usually punished with a fine
or jail sentence of less than a year
 Criminal Law
Crimes against property are the most
common type of crime:
Larceny is the unlawful taking of a persons
property with the intent never to return it
Robbery is the taking of a persons property
by force or threat
Burglary is the unlawful entry into any
dwelling or structure with the intent to
commit a crime
 Civil Law
Civil cases involve disputes between
people or groups of people, where no
criminal laws have been broken; they
are not viewed as a threat to social
order
When a civil case goes to court, it is
called a lawsuit
 Civil Law
Civil law also covers torts, or civil wrongs; in tort
law a person may sufer an injury and claim
another party is responsible for negligence
Another type of civil law is family law on issues
like divorce or custody
 Other Kinds of Law
Constitutional Law applies to that
branch of the law dealing with the
formation, construction, and
interpretation of constitutions
(Ex. Limits of the governments power
and rights of the individual)
 Other Kinds of Law

Administrative Law refers to the

rules and regulations the
executive branch must make to
carry out its job
(Ex. Federal Communications
Commission- mass media)
 Other Kinds of Law

Statutory Law refers to any law

written by a legislative branch of
government- US Congress, state
legislatures, and local legislatures
(Ex. Speed limits, inspecting food,
drivers license, etc.)