Types of Law
This type of law helps resolve disputes between people or organizations.
What is civil law?
This 1896 Supreme Court case established the "separate but equal" doctrine.
What is Plessy v. Ferguson?
This early legal system is based on the Ten Commandments.
What is Israelite law?
In the U.S., a law is considered "fair" if it treats people in similar situations this way.
What is equally?
A person slipping and breaking a leg at a friend's house is an example of this type of legal case.
What is a civil case?
Laws created by judicial decisions and precedents fall under this category.
What is common law?
This 1954 case overturned Plessy and ruled that segregation in schools was unconstitutional.
What is Brown v. Board of Education?
These ancient laws were carved on stone pillars in Babylon and are known for "an eye for an eye."
What are the Laws of Hammurabi?
A law must have punishments that match the offense to meet this requirement.
What is proportionality?
Running a red light is generally this type of legal violation.
What is a criminal (traffic infraction) violation?
Actions such as "absent without leave" and "mutiny" fall under this type of law.
What is military law?
In this case, the Court ruled the president's claim to executive privilege is not absolute.
What is United States v. Nixon?
English common law differed from earlier codes because it was based on these previous decisions.
What are precedents?
A law meets this requirement when the average person can understand what it expects.
What is clarity/simplicity?
Robbery and breaking into a house fall under this category of law.
What is criminal law?
This type of law is followed when the Supreme Court rules on a constitutional question, such as in United States v. Nixon.
What is constitutional law?
In 1989, the Supreme Court allowed the death penalty for 16-17 year-olds, but later reversed this in part based on "evolving standards of decency."
What are Stanford v. Kentucky and related Eighth Amendment decisions?
This European legal code influenced many Western law systems and was created under a French emperor.
What is the Napoleonic Code?
A law is fair when it applies to everyone, even government officials, which reflects this core democratic principle.
What is rule of law?
Contract disputes and adoption fall under this category.
What is civil law?
Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education are examples of this kind of law based on court decisions.
What is case law?
According to a Supreme Court ruling, the death penalty may constitutionally be imposed only on this group.
Who are adults?
This ancient civilization's laws influenced the U.S. system through ideas such as written codes and rights of citizens.
What is Roman law?
When courts use past decisions to ensure fairness, they are relying on this.
What is precedent?
Treason and discrimination appear together in this category of laws.
What are constitutional or statutory law issues?