Divisions of Law
A couple is getting divorced and needs to work out parenting arrangements. Which division of law applies?
Family law
Lady Justice: What does the blindfold represent?
Impartiality—making decisions without favouritism
Name one way Indigenous legal knowledge can be passed between generations without being written down.
Stories, oral teachings, or community practices
This ancient Babylonian collection is one of the earliest surviving records of written laws.
The Code of Hammurabi
Canada’s common law tradition developed primarily from which country’s legal tradition?
England / Britain
A person is charged with stealing a vehicle. Which division of law applies?
Criminal law
Lady Justice: What does the sword represent
Symbolizes the authority of the law
True or false? First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples all share one identical legal system. Explain.
False. Different nations and communities have distinct legal traditions.
What does the phrase “an eye for an eye” suggest about punishment under the Code of Hammurabi?
Punishment should mirror the harm caused—for example, causing an injury could result in a similar injury as punishment.
Quebec’s civil law tradition developed primarily from which country’s legal tradition?
France
A business accepts payment to renovate a kitchen but does not complete the agreed work. Which division of law deals with the broken agreement?
Contract law
Saying “thank you” is generally expected, but courts do not enforce it. Is this a law, a social norm, or a legal precedent?
A social norm
In some Indigenous approaches to justice, why might repairing relationships be an important response to harm?
To address the harm, rebuild relationships, and help people fulfill responsibilities to others.
What was Magna Carta, and whose power did it limit?
A document that limited King John’s royal power.
What is the term for an earlier court decision that can guide or bind decisions in later similar cases?
Precedent
A driver carelessly causes a collision. The injured person sues for compensation. Which division of private law applies?
Tort law
Name two purposes of law and give an example of a law that fulfills one of them.
protecting people, maintaining order and saftey, resolving disputes, protecting rights and freedoms.
What was the Royal Proclamation?
bonus for the year: _____
It recognized Indigenous land rights and established a Crown-controlled process for acquiring Indigenous lands ; 1763
A premier claims that their position allows them to ignore the law. Which principle challenges that claim?
The rule of law: everyone, including government leaders, is subject to law.
Canada is described as bijural. What does that mean?
Common law and civil law traditions coexist within Canada’s legal system.
A person challenges a government agency’s decision, arguing that the hearing was unfair. Name the specific division of law and the broader category it belongs to.
Administrative law; public law
Someone says, “If something is legal, it must be morally right and fair.” Explain why this statement is incorrect.
Law, morals, and justice can overlap, but they are different. A law can permit unfair treatment, and something considered morally wrong may still be legal.
Explain one difference between how some First Nations and Crown representatives understood historic treaties. & what treaty are we in?
Some First Nations understood agreements as sharing land and maintaining relationships; Crown representatives emphasized land surrender.
Treaty 1
In Roncarelli v. Duplessis, Duplessis used his power to have Roncarelli’s liquor licence revoked. How did this violate the rule of law, and what principle could the case establish as a precedent?
Duplessis used government power to punish Roncarelli for an unrelated reason—providing bail for Jehovah’s Witnesses. The case established that public officials cannot use their powers arbitrarily or for improper purposes and can be held personally liable for doing so.
A judge in Manitoba and a judge in Quebec are each deciding a contract dispute. How would their legal approaches differ, and what is one similarity between the two systems?
Manitoba’s common law approach emphasizes precedent, while Quebec’s civil law approach starts with the Civil Code.