"The most important is the nation's Constitution."
An introduction to the different kinds of courts and legal professionals, such as judges, lawyers, and court clerks.
The concept of justice: The philosophy and theory of justice and how it applies to the legal system.
The common law system: The history of common law and its relationship to the legal system.
The civil law system: The history of civil law and its relationship to the legal system.
The role of courts: The function and purpose of courts, including the different types of courts (trial courts, appellate courts, etc.).
Legal personnel: The different types of legal personnel, including judges, lawyers, paralegals, and court personnel.
Legal ethics: The ethical issues that arise in the legal profession and how they are addressed.
Court procedures: The procedures that must be followed in court, including rules of evidence, trial procedure, and appeals.
The Constitution: The importance of the Constitution and how it relates to the legal system.
Criminal law: The basic principles of criminal law, including the elements of different crimes and the procedures of criminal trials.
Civil law: The basic principles of civil law, including contracts, torts, and property law.
Alternative dispute resolution: The different methods of resolving disputes outside of a court setting, including mediation and arbitration.
Legal research and writing: The skills necessary to conduct legal research and write legal documents.
International law: The principles of international law and how they impact the legal system.
Legal theory and philosophy: The different theories and philosophies that underlie the legal system.
Legal history: The history of the legal system, including landmark cases and legal institutions.
Jurisprudence: The study of legal theory and the philosophy of law.
Legal realism: The philosophy that the law is not abstract and objective, but rather influenced by factors like social context and power dynamics.
Legal positivism: The philosophy that the law is based on written rules and enacted by those with legal authority.
Legal formalism: The philosophy that the law is objective and applies the same rules to everyone.
Critical legal studies: The examination of the underlying power structures and assumptions that shape the legal system.
Supreme Court: The highest court in the land, responsible for interpreting the Constitution and ensuring that the laws of the United States are followed.
Appellate Courts: The intermediate courts that hear appeals from lower courts. They review the decisions made by the lower courts and determine whether they were proper.
District Courts: The trial courts that hear cases at the federal level. They are responsible for resolving disputes between individuals and entities.
Small Claims Courts: The courts that handle minor legal disputes between individuals, typically involving amounts of money under a certain threshold.
Probate Courts: The courts that handle matters related to estates and wills.
Bankruptcy Courts: The courts that handle cases related to bankruptcy filings and proceedings.
Tax Courts: The courts that handle tax-related disputes.
Judges: The people who preside over court cases and make legal rulings.
Lawyers: Advocates who represent clients in court and provide legal advice.
Paralegals: Legal assistants who help lawyers with research, drafting documents, and other tasks.
Court Clerks: Administrative personnel who handle paperwork and scheduling for the court.
Bailiffs: Officers who maintain order in the courtroom.
Court Reporters: Personnel who record and transcribe court proceedings.
Mediators: Neutral third parties who help resolve disputes outside of court.
"The foundation of the federal government of the United States, as well as various civil liberties."
"Acts of Congress, treaties ratified by the Senate, regulations promulgated by the executive branch, and case law originating from the federal judiciary."
"The official compilation and codification of general and permanent federal statutory law."
"Federal law and treaties, so long as they are in accordance with the Constitution, preempt conflicting state and territorial laws."
"The scope of federal preemption is limited because the scope of federal power is not universal."
"States are the plenary sovereigns, each with their own constitution."
"States may grant their citizens broader rights than the federal Constitution as long as they do not infringe on any federal constitutional rights."
"U.S. law consists primarily of state law, which can and does vary greatly from one state to the next."
"The law of the United States is largely derived from the common law system of English law."
"American law has diverged greatly from its English ancestor both in terms of substance and procedure."
"The common law system of English law was in force."
"The federal sovereign possesses only the limited supreme authority enumerated in the Constitution."
"The dual sovereign system of American federalism consists of states as plenary sovereigns and the federal sovereign with limited authority."
"U.S. law... does vary greatly from one state to another."
"With the exception of the legal system of Louisiana, the law of the United States is largely derived from the common law system of English law."
"The law of the United States comprises many levels of codified and uncodified forms of law."
"The Constitution sets out the boundaries of federal law."
"Members of the United States Congress... [play a role in] the law of the United States."
"Case law originating from the federal judiciary" contributes to the law of the United States.