INSTUCTOR MANUAL FOR j j
LawjforjBusinessj15ejBarnes
Chapterj1-47
CHAPTERj1:jLAWjANDjLEGALjREASONING
LECTUREjOUTLINE
1. DiscussjthejTwisdalejcasejthatjopensjthisjchapter.jItjprovidesjanjinterestingjvehiclejforjdi
scussingjthejfunctionsjofjlawjandjlegaljinterpretation.
a. Havejyourjstudentsjidentifyjthejvariousjfunctionsjofjthejlawjandjthenjdiscussjwhichjspecif
icjfunctionsjarejfurtheredjbyjthisjantiretaliationjaspectsjofjthejCiviljRightsjstatute.
b. Injthejcontextjofjlegaljinterpretation,jthejcourtjfoundjthatjTwisdalejdidjseemjtojbejprotected
jbasedjonjthejliteraljlanguagejofjthejstatute.jHowever,jitjlookedjbeyondjthejplainjmeaningjt
ojrejectjhisjclaim.jSpecifically,jthejcourtjbelievedjthatjinterpretingjthejlawjinjajmannerjthatj
wouldjprotectjhimjfromjretaliationjwouldjunderminejthejpurposejofjthejstatute.jItjisjconceiv
ablejthatjthejcourtjisjmotivatedjbyjpublicjpolicyjconcernsjasj well.
c. Whatjdojyourjstudentsjthinkjofjcourtsjwhojdojlookjatjintentjandjpublicjpolicy?jUsejthisjasja
jlead-injforjajdiscussionjofjlegaljjurisprudence.
2. Questionjstudentsjaboutjtheirjdefinitionsjofj―law.‖jMakejcertainjtheyjunderstandjtheji
mportancejofjlawjinjalljaspectsjofjourjlives.
3. Discussjthejvariousjfunctionsjthatjlawjservesjinjsociety.jYoujmightjdojthisjbyjhavingjthejstu
dentsjidentifyjsomejofjthem.
a. Discussjthejconflictsjthatjarisejbetweenjandjamongjthejvariousjfunctionsjofjlaw.jForjexamp
le,jtherejoftenjarejconflictsjbetweenjthejgoalsjofjindividualjfreedomjandjachievingjsocialjjus
tice.jNotejthejproblemsjthatjarisejwhenjtherejisjnojclearjconsensusjonjwhatjisjjust.
b. Askjthejstudentsjifjtheyjthinkjthatjlawjeverjisj―overused.‖jTheyjarejlikelyjtojcitejnumerou
sjexamples.jForjinstance,jthisjmightjbejajtimejtojtalkjaboutjthejproductjliabilityjcasesjthatjar
ejregularlyjinjthejheadlines.jPerhapsjthejcasejinvolvingjthejwomanjwhojburnedjherselfjwit
hjcoffeejfromjMcDonald’sjwouldjbejappropriatejhere.
1-1
©jMcGrawjHilljLLC.jAlljrightsjreserved.jNojreproductionjorjdistributionjwithoutjthejpriorjwrittenjconsentjofjM
cGrawjHilljLLC.
, c. Havejthejstudentsjdiscussjwhatjitjmeansjtojhavejthejlawjmaintainjorder.jYoujmightjaskjstu
dentsjifjmaintainingjorderjmeansjmaintainingjthejstatusjquo.jThisjcanjleadjtojajdiscussionj
ofjlegaljrealismjandjviewsjthatjlawjisjusedjbyjthosejinjpowerjtojretainjtheirjpower.
4. Therejisjajtendencyjforjpeoplejtojthinkjofjlawjasjimposingjdutiesjwithoutjconsideringjhowjitjest
ablishesjandjpreservesjrights.jTalkjaboutjhowjourjsystemjtriesjtojmatchjrightsjwithjcorrespondi
ngjduties.
a. Explainjhowjduties,jrights,jandjprivilegesjmakejupjsubstantivejlaw.
b. Explainjthatjproceduraljlawjprovidesjthejframeworkjwithinjwhichjsubstantivejlawsjarejcre
atedjandjenforced.jPointjoutjthatjChaptersj2jandj4jofferjajmorejdetailedjdiscussionjofjproce
duraljlaw.
5. Askjthejstudentsjtojthinkjofjanjexamplejofjajdutyjimposedjbyjsubstantivejlawjthatjmightjviolatej
somejmoraljorjethicaljbelief.jThisjmightjbejajgoodjtimejtojtalkjaboutjthejvariousjschoolsjofjlega
ljjurisprudence.jHavejthemjspeculatejhowjajlegaljpositivistjwouldjdifferjfromjajlegaljsociologis
tjorjnaturaljlawjtheoristjinjhandlingjsuchjsituations.
6. Contrastjcriminaljlawjwithjciviljlaw.
a. Pointjoutjthatjsocietyjconsidersjitjmuchjworsejtojbejconvictedjofjajcrimejthanjtojbejheldjcivi
llyjliable.jExplainjhow,jasjajresult,jtherejarejmorejexactingjproceduraljsafeguardsjtojprotec
tjajdefendantjinjajcriminaljtrialjthanjinjajciviljtrial.
b. Notejthejdifferencejbetweenjcompensatoryjdamagesjandjpunitivejdamages.jDiscussjthejc
urrentjuproarjoverjpunitivejdamagesjandjthejSupremejCourt’sjattemptjtojreinjthemjin.jSeej
StatejFarmjMutualjAutomobilejInsurancejv.jCampbell,j123jS.Ct.j1513j(U.S.jSup.jCt.j200
3)j(establishingjguidepostsjforjcalculatingjpunitivejdamages).jPunitivejdamagesjarejdiscu
ssedjfurtherjinjChapterj6.
c. Pointjoutjthatjoftenjonejcanjbejsubjectjtojsanctionsjunderjbothjcriminaljandjciviljlawsjwit
houtjviolatingjthejproscriptionjagainstj―doublejjeopardy.‖jFindjoutjifjthejstudentsjthinkj
thatjpunitivejdamagesjinjajciviljtrial,jcoupledjwithjfinesjinjajcriminaljtrial,jconstitutejajty
pejofjdoublejjeopardy.
Marinellojv.jUnitedjStates
MarinellojwasjchargedjwithjthejcrimejofjcorruptlyjimpedingjthejduejadministrationjofjthejTaxjCodej
afterjhejengagedjinjseveraljactivitiesjthatjunderreportedjhisjtaxablejincome.jHowever,jthe
U.S.jSupremejCourtjoverturnedjhisjcriminaljconvictionjbecausejMarinellojwasjunawarejthatjhejwasj
underjIRSjinvestigationjatjthejtimejofjhisjactivities.jCitingjthejneedjtojconstruejcriminal
1-2
©jMcGrawjHilljLLC.jAlljrightsjreserved.jNojreproductionjorjdistributionjwithoutjthejpriorjwrittenjconsentjofjM
cGrawjHilljLLC.
,statutesjnarrowly,jthejCourtjruledjthatjthejparticularjstatute—thejOmnibusjClause—
didjnotjcoverjalljactivitiesjthatjunderreportedjincome.jThejCourtjbelievedjthatjthejstatutejcoveredjajn
arrowerjrangejofjactivitiesjaimedjdirectlyjatjthwartingjthejactivitiesjofjinvestigationsjwhenjthejtaxpa
yerjknewjorjshouldjhavejknownjanjinvestigationjwasjunderway.
PointsjforjDiscussion:jThisjcasejisjplacedjinjthejtextjasjanjexamplejofjthejgeneraljrulesjunderlyingjc
riminaljlaw.jSpecifically,jajpersonjgenerallyjcannotjbejconvictedjofjajcrimejunlessjhejorjshejviolate
sjajstatute.jHowever,jsuchjstatutesjmustjbejobjectivelyjclearjtojajreasonablejperson.jThisjGovernme
nt’sjinterpretationjofjthisjstatutejwasjbelievedjtojgrantjthejGovernmentjtoojmuchjdiscretionjinjdeter
miningjwhatjconstitutedjajcrime.
7. Thejbriefjintroductionjtojourjlegaljsystemjshouldjbejajreviewjforjmostjstudents.
a. ThejconstitutionaljlawjmaterialjisjmorejheavilyjdiscussedjinjChapterj4.jAnjargumentjcanjbej
madejforjitjtojbejpresentedjimmediatelyjfollowingjthisjchapter.jHowever,jwejbelievejstude
ntsjshouldjfirstjreviewjChapterj2’sjdiscussionjofjthejdisputejresolutionjsystem.
b. Talkjaboutjthejrolejofjthejcourtsjinjdeterminingjthejconstitutionalityjofjlegislation.jDojth
eyjbelievejthisjgivesjthejcourtsjtoojmuchjpower?
c. Explainjthejrelationshipjbetweenjstatejlawsjandjfederaljlaws.jMakejcertainjthejstudentsjund
erstandjthatjstatejlawsjmayjnotjviolatejthejfederaljconstitutionjandjmustjbejconsistentjwithjf
ederaljstatutes.
HenryjScheinjv.jArcherj&jWhitejSales
ThejFederaljArbitrationjActjprovidesjthatjpartiesjmay,jthroughjtheirjpowerjtojcontract,jagreejthatjthe
irjdisputesjwilljbejarbitrated.jInjaddition,jthejActjallowsjthosejsamejpartiesjtojagreejthatjanjarbitrator
,jratherjthanjajcourt,jwilljdeterminejwhetherjthatjarbitrationjclausejappliesjtojanyjparticularjdisputejt
heyjmayjhave.jHowever,jseveraljfederaljappellatejcourtsjcarvedjoutjaj―whollyjgroundless‖jexceptio
njtojthejlatterjrulejbyjwhichjtheyjallowedjcourtsjtojconcludejthatjarbitrationjwasjnotjappropriatejwhe
njthejcourtjbelievedjthejclaimjofjarbitrabilityjwasjgroundless.jInjthisjcase,jthejU.S.jSupremejCourt,jc
itingjbothjthejstatutejandjSupremejCourtjprecedent,jruledjthatjthe
―whollyjgroundless‖jexceptionjwasjimpermissiblejbecausejitjcontradictedjthejstatute.
PointsjforjDiscussion:jThisjcasejisjanjexamplejofjthejlimitsjonjthejjudiciary’sjdiscretionjunderjthej
commonjlaw.jItjillustratesjthatjinjthejhierarchyjofjlaws,jlegislativejlawjisjsuperiorjtojjudge-
jmadejlaw.jItjalsojillustratesjthejrolejofjprecedentjinjinterpretingjstatutes.
8. Thejmaterialjonjstatutoryjinterpretationjcanjbejextremelyjimportantjinjlayingjthejfoundationjfo
rjhowjlawyersjthink.jMorejimportantly,jitjteachesjstudentsjvaluablejcriticaljthinkingjskills.jTak
ejthejstudentsjthroughjthejprocessjforjinterpretingjstatutes.jYoujmayjdiscussjstatutoryjinterpret
ationjandjlegaljjurisprudencejtogether.jNotejhowjpositivistsjoftenjhavejproblems
1-3
©jMcGrawjHilljLLC.jAlljrightsjreserved.jNojreproductionjorjdistributionjwithoutjthejpriorjwrittenjconsentjofjM
cGrawjHilljLLC.
, movingjbeyondjthej―plainjmeaning‖jofjwordsjwhilejnaturaljlawjtheoristsjandjlegaljsociologistsj
arejaccusedjofjignoringjthem.
Bostockjv.jClaytonjCounty,jGeorgia
EmployersjarguedjthatjCiviljRightsjAct’sjprohibitionjagainstjdiscriminationjbasedjonjsexjdidjnotjpro
tectjemployeesjwhojwerejfiredjbecausejtheyjwerejhomosexualjorjtransgender.jThejemployersjassert
edjthatjthejlawjshouldjnotjbejexpandedjtojprotectjthesejemployeesjbecausejthejlegislatorsjwhojorigin
allyjenactedjthejstatutejwouldjnotjhavejenvisionedjitjbeingjextendedjinjthisjway.jThe
U.S.jSupremejCourtjdisagreed.jItjfoundjnojambiguityjinjthejplainjmeaningjofjthejstatute—
thejCourtjbelievedjthejstatutoryjlanguagejclearlyjprohibitedjsuchjdiscriminationjbecausejitjwasjbase
djonjsex.
PointsjforjDiscussion:jExplainjhowjthejcourtjrefusedjtojlookjbeyondjthejplainjmeaningjofjthejstatute
,jconcludingjthatjitjwouldjbejwrongjtojattemptjtojgleanjthejintentjofjeachjlegislatorjwhojvotedjforjthej
law.jDiscussjwhetherjthisjopinionjisjtrulyjlegaljpositivistjinjnature.jExplorejhowjitjmightjhavejundert
onesjofjlegaljsociology.
9. Discussjthejconceptjofjstarejdecisis.
a. Notejhowjstarejdecisisjpromotesjstability.
Stewartjv.jJustice
Restaurantjownersjaskedjthejcourtjtojenjoinjenforcementjofjanjexecutivejorderjrequiringjrestaurantj
employeesjandjcustomersjtojwearjmasks.jThejcourtjupheldjthejMaskjMandate,jreasoningjthatjitjwa
sjreasonablyjdesignedjtojprotectjthejhealthjofjthejpublicjfromjthejspreadjofjthejCOVIDjvirus.
PointsjforjDiscussion:jUsejthisjcasejtojexplainjthejprocessjofjstarejdecisis.jNotejhowjthejcourt,jinjt
hejabsencejofjclearjprecedentjdealingjwithjCOVIDjrestrictions,jlookedjforjguidancejtojajsmallpoxj
casejdecidedjbyjthejU.S.jSupremejCourtjmorejthanj100jyearsjago.jYoujmightjalsojusejthisjcasejtojdi
scussjexecutivejordersjandjtheirjplacejinjthejhierarchyjofjlegaljrules.jExplainjhowjexecutivejordersj
mayjnotjviolatejconstitutionaljprotections.jThisjcasejisjalsojconnectedjtojChapterj4jandjitsjdiscussi
onjofjduejprocess.
a. Notejhowjstarejdecisisjpermitsjchange.
b. Explainjhowjthejrulejagainstjexjpostjfactojlawsjdoesjnotjapplyjtojinstancesjwherejthejco
urtjhasjreinterpretedjajstatute.jDiscussjhowjthisjcanjposejproblemsjforjpeoplejwhojrelie
djonjthejoriginaljinterpretation.
1-4
©jMcGrawjHilljLLC.jAlljrightsjreserved.jNojreproductionjorjdistributionjwithoutjthejpriorjwrittenjconsentjofjM
cGrawjHilljLLC.
LawjforjBusinessj15ejBarnes
Chapterj1-47
CHAPTERj1:jLAWjANDjLEGALjREASONING
LECTUREjOUTLINE
1. DiscussjthejTwisdalejcasejthatjopensjthisjchapter.jItjprovidesjanjinterestingjvehiclejforjdi
scussingjthejfunctionsjofjlawjandjlegaljinterpretation.
a. Havejyourjstudentsjidentifyjthejvariousjfunctionsjofjthejlawjandjthenjdiscussjwhichjspecif
icjfunctionsjarejfurtheredjbyjthisjantiretaliationjaspectsjofjthejCiviljRightsjstatute.
b. Injthejcontextjofjlegaljinterpretation,jthejcourtjfoundjthatjTwisdalejdidjseemjtojbejprotected
jbasedjonjthejliteraljlanguagejofjthejstatute.jHowever,jitjlookedjbeyondjthejplainjmeaningjt
ojrejectjhisjclaim.jSpecifically,jthejcourtjbelievedjthatjinterpretingjthejlawjinjajmannerjthatj
wouldjprotectjhimjfromjretaliationjwouldjunderminejthejpurposejofjthejstatute.jItjisjconceiv
ablejthatjthejcourtjisjmotivatedjbyjpublicjpolicyjconcernsjasj well.
c. Whatjdojyourjstudentsjthinkjofjcourtsjwhojdojlookjatjintentjandjpublicjpolicy?jUsejthisjasja
jlead-injforjajdiscussionjofjlegaljjurisprudence.
2. Questionjstudentsjaboutjtheirjdefinitionsjofj―law.‖jMakejcertainjtheyjunderstandjtheji
mportancejofjlawjinjalljaspectsjofjourjlives.
3. Discussjthejvariousjfunctionsjthatjlawjservesjinjsociety.jYoujmightjdojthisjbyjhavingjthejstu
dentsjidentifyjsomejofjthem.
a. Discussjthejconflictsjthatjarisejbetweenjandjamongjthejvariousjfunctionsjofjlaw.jForjexamp
le,jtherejoftenjarejconflictsjbetweenjthejgoalsjofjindividualjfreedomjandjachievingjsocialjjus
tice.jNotejthejproblemsjthatjarisejwhenjtherejisjnojclearjconsensusjonjwhatjisjjust.
b. Askjthejstudentsjifjtheyjthinkjthatjlawjeverjisj―overused.‖jTheyjarejlikelyjtojcitejnumerou
sjexamples.jForjinstance,jthisjmightjbejajtimejtojtalkjaboutjthejproductjliabilityjcasesjthatjar
ejregularlyjinjthejheadlines.jPerhapsjthejcasejinvolvingjthejwomanjwhojburnedjherselfjwit
hjcoffeejfromjMcDonald’sjwouldjbejappropriatejhere.
1-1
©jMcGrawjHilljLLC.jAlljrightsjreserved.jNojreproductionjorjdistributionjwithoutjthejpriorjwrittenjconsentjofjM
cGrawjHilljLLC.
, c. Havejthejstudentsjdiscussjwhatjitjmeansjtojhavejthejlawjmaintainjorder.jYoujmightjaskjstu
dentsjifjmaintainingjorderjmeansjmaintainingjthejstatusjquo.jThisjcanjleadjtojajdiscussionj
ofjlegaljrealismjandjviewsjthatjlawjisjusedjbyjthosejinjpowerjtojretainjtheirjpower.
4. Therejisjajtendencyjforjpeoplejtojthinkjofjlawjasjimposingjdutiesjwithoutjconsideringjhowjitjest
ablishesjandjpreservesjrights.jTalkjaboutjhowjourjsystemjtriesjtojmatchjrightsjwithjcorrespondi
ngjduties.
a. Explainjhowjduties,jrights,jandjprivilegesjmakejupjsubstantivejlaw.
b. Explainjthatjproceduraljlawjprovidesjthejframeworkjwithinjwhichjsubstantivejlawsjarejcre
atedjandjenforced.jPointjoutjthatjChaptersj2jandj4jofferjajmorejdetailedjdiscussionjofjproce
duraljlaw.
5. Askjthejstudentsjtojthinkjofjanjexamplejofjajdutyjimposedjbyjsubstantivejlawjthatjmightjviolatej
somejmoraljorjethicaljbelief.jThisjmightjbejajgoodjtimejtojtalkjaboutjthejvariousjschoolsjofjlega
ljjurisprudence.jHavejthemjspeculatejhowjajlegaljpositivistjwouldjdifferjfromjajlegaljsociologis
tjorjnaturaljlawjtheoristjinjhandlingjsuchjsituations.
6. Contrastjcriminaljlawjwithjciviljlaw.
a. Pointjoutjthatjsocietyjconsidersjitjmuchjworsejtojbejconvictedjofjajcrimejthanjtojbejheldjcivi
llyjliable.jExplainjhow,jasjajresult,jtherejarejmorejexactingjproceduraljsafeguardsjtojprotec
tjajdefendantjinjajcriminaljtrialjthanjinjajciviljtrial.
b. Notejthejdifferencejbetweenjcompensatoryjdamagesjandjpunitivejdamages.jDiscussjthejc
urrentjuproarjoverjpunitivejdamagesjandjthejSupremejCourt’sjattemptjtojreinjthemjin.jSeej
StatejFarmjMutualjAutomobilejInsurancejv.jCampbell,j123jS.Ct.j1513j(U.S.jSup.jCt.j200
3)j(establishingjguidepostsjforjcalculatingjpunitivejdamages).jPunitivejdamagesjarejdiscu
ssedjfurtherjinjChapterj6.
c. Pointjoutjthatjoftenjonejcanjbejsubjectjtojsanctionsjunderjbothjcriminaljandjciviljlawsjwit
houtjviolatingjthejproscriptionjagainstj―doublejjeopardy.‖jFindjoutjifjthejstudentsjthinkj
thatjpunitivejdamagesjinjajciviljtrial,jcoupledjwithjfinesjinjajcriminaljtrial,jconstitutejajty
pejofjdoublejjeopardy.
Marinellojv.jUnitedjStates
MarinellojwasjchargedjwithjthejcrimejofjcorruptlyjimpedingjthejduejadministrationjofjthejTaxjCodej
afterjhejengagedjinjseveraljactivitiesjthatjunderreportedjhisjtaxablejincome.jHowever,jthe
U.S.jSupremejCourtjoverturnedjhisjcriminaljconvictionjbecausejMarinellojwasjunawarejthatjhejwasj
underjIRSjinvestigationjatjthejtimejofjhisjactivities.jCitingjthejneedjtojconstruejcriminal
1-2
©jMcGrawjHilljLLC.jAlljrightsjreserved.jNojreproductionjorjdistributionjwithoutjthejpriorjwrittenjconsentjofjM
cGrawjHilljLLC.
,statutesjnarrowly,jthejCourtjruledjthatjthejparticularjstatute—thejOmnibusjClause—
didjnotjcoverjalljactivitiesjthatjunderreportedjincome.jThejCourtjbelievedjthatjthejstatutejcoveredjajn
arrowerjrangejofjactivitiesjaimedjdirectlyjatjthwartingjthejactivitiesjofjinvestigationsjwhenjthejtaxpa
yerjknewjorjshouldjhavejknownjanjinvestigationjwasjunderway.
PointsjforjDiscussion:jThisjcasejisjplacedjinjthejtextjasjanjexamplejofjthejgeneraljrulesjunderlyingjc
riminaljlaw.jSpecifically,jajpersonjgenerallyjcannotjbejconvictedjofjajcrimejunlessjhejorjshejviolate
sjajstatute.jHowever,jsuchjstatutesjmustjbejobjectivelyjclearjtojajreasonablejperson.jThisjGovernme
nt’sjinterpretationjofjthisjstatutejwasjbelievedjtojgrantjthejGovernmentjtoojmuchjdiscretionjinjdeter
miningjwhatjconstitutedjajcrime.
7. Thejbriefjintroductionjtojourjlegaljsystemjshouldjbejajreviewjforjmostjstudents.
a. ThejconstitutionaljlawjmaterialjisjmorejheavilyjdiscussedjinjChapterj4.jAnjargumentjcanjbej
madejforjitjtojbejpresentedjimmediatelyjfollowingjthisjchapter.jHowever,jwejbelievejstude
ntsjshouldjfirstjreviewjChapterj2’sjdiscussionjofjthejdisputejresolutionjsystem.
b. Talkjaboutjthejrolejofjthejcourtsjinjdeterminingjthejconstitutionalityjofjlegislation.jDojth
eyjbelievejthisjgivesjthejcourtsjtoojmuchjpower?
c. Explainjthejrelationshipjbetweenjstatejlawsjandjfederaljlaws.jMakejcertainjthejstudentsjund
erstandjthatjstatejlawsjmayjnotjviolatejthejfederaljconstitutionjandjmustjbejconsistentjwithjf
ederaljstatutes.
HenryjScheinjv.jArcherj&jWhitejSales
ThejFederaljArbitrationjActjprovidesjthatjpartiesjmay,jthroughjtheirjpowerjtojcontract,jagreejthatjthe
irjdisputesjwilljbejarbitrated.jInjaddition,jthejActjallowsjthosejsamejpartiesjtojagreejthatjanjarbitrator
,jratherjthanjajcourt,jwilljdeterminejwhetherjthatjarbitrationjclausejappliesjtojanyjparticularjdisputejt
heyjmayjhave.jHowever,jseveraljfederaljappellatejcourtsjcarvedjoutjaj―whollyjgroundless‖jexceptio
njtojthejlatterjrulejbyjwhichjtheyjallowedjcourtsjtojconcludejthatjarbitrationjwasjnotjappropriatejwhe
njthejcourtjbelievedjthejclaimjofjarbitrabilityjwasjgroundless.jInjthisjcase,jthejU.S.jSupremejCourt,jc
itingjbothjthejstatutejandjSupremejCourtjprecedent,jruledjthatjthe
―whollyjgroundless‖jexceptionjwasjimpermissiblejbecausejitjcontradictedjthejstatute.
PointsjforjDiscussion:jThisjcasejisjanjexamplejofjthejlimitsjonjthejjudiciary’sjdiscretionjunderjthej
commonjlaw.jItjillustratesjthatjinjthejhierarchyjofjlaws,jlegislativejlawjisjsuperiorjtojjudge-
jmadejlaw.jItjalsojillustratesjthejrolejofjprecedentjinjinterpretingjstatutes.
8. Thejmaterialjonjstatutoryjinterpretationjcanjbejextremelyjimportantjinjlayingjthejfoundationjfo
rjhowjlawyersjthink.jMorejimportantly,jitjteachesjstudentsjvaluablejcriticaljthinkingjskills.jTak
ejthejstudentsjthroughjthejprocessjforjinterpretingjstatutes.jYoujmayjdiscussjstatutoryjinterpret
ationjandjlegaljjurisprudencejtogether.jNotejhowjpositivistsjoftenjhavejproblems
1-3
©jMcGrawjHilljLLC.jAlljrightsjreserved.jNojreproductionjorjdistributionjwithoutjthejpriorjwrittenjconsentjofjM
cGrawjHilljLLC.
, movingjbeyondjthej―plainjmeaning‖jofjwordsjwhilejnaturaljlawjtheoristsjandjlegaljsociologistsj
arejaccusedjofjignoringjthem.
Bostockjv.jClaytonjCounty,jGeorgia
EmployersjarguedjthatjCiviljRightsjAct’sjprohibitionjagainstjdiscriminationjbasedjonjsexjdidjnotjpro
tectjemployeesjwhojwerejfiredjbecausejtheyjwerejhomosexualjorjtransgender.jThejemployersjassert
edjthatjthejlawjshouldjnotjbejexpandedjtojprotectjthesejemployeesjbecausejthejlegislatorsjwhojorigin
allyjenactedjthejstatutejwouldjnotjhavejenvisionedjitjbeingjextendedjinjthisjway.jThe
U.S.jSupremejCourtjdisagreed.jItjfoundjnojambiguityjinjthejplainjmeaningjofjthejstatute—
thejCourtjbelievedjthejstatutoryjlanguagejclearlyjprohibitedjsuchjdiscriminationjbecausejitjwasjbase
djonjsex.
PointsjforjDiscussion:jExplainjhowjthejcourtjrefusedjtojlookjbeyondjthejplainjmeaningjofjthejstatute
,jconcludingjthatjitjwouldjbejwrongjtojattemptjtojgleanjthejintentjofjeachjlegislatorjwhojvotedjforjthej
law.jDiscussjwhetherjthisjopinionjisjtrulyjlegaljpositivistjinjnature.jExplorejhowjitjmightjhavejundert
onesjofjlegaljsociology.
9. Discussjthejconceptjofjstarejdecisis.
a. Notejhowjstarejdecisisjpromotesjstability.
Stewartjv.jJustice
Restaurantjownersjaskedjthejcourtjtojenjoinjenforcementjofjanjexecutivejorderjrequiringjrestaurantj
employeesjandjcustomersjtojwearjmasks.jThejcourtjupheldjthejMaskjMandate,jreasoningjthatjitjwa
sjreasonablyjdesignedjtojprotectjthejhealthjofjthejpublicjfromjthejspreadjofjthejCOVIDjvirus.
PointsjforjDiscussion:jUsejthisjcasejtojexplainjthejprocessjofjstarejdecisis.jNotejhowjthejcourt,jinjt
hejabsencejofjclearjprecedentjdealingjwithjCOVIDjrestrictions,jlookedjforjguidancejtojajsmallpoxj
casejdecidedjbyjthejU.S.jSupremejCourtjmorejthanj100jyearsjago.jYoujmightjalsojusejthisjcasejtojdi
scussjexecutivejordersjandjtheirjplacejinjthejhierarchyjofjlegaljrules.jExplainjhowjexecutivejordersj
mayjnotjviolatejconstitutionaljprotections.jThisjcasejisjalsojconnectedjtojChapterj4jandjitsjdiscussi
onjofjduejprocess.
a. Notejhowjstarejdecisisjpermitsjchange.
b. Explainjhowjthejrulejagainstjexjpostjfactojlawsjdoesjnotjapplyjtojinstancesjwherejthejco
urtjhasjreinterpretedjajstatute.jDiscussjhowjthisjcanjposejproblemsjforjpeoplejwhojrelie
djonjthejoriginaljinterpretation.
1-4
©jMcGrawjHilljLLC.jAlljrightsjreserved.jNojreproductionjorjdistributionjwithoutjthejpriorjwrittenjconsentjofjM
cGrawjHilljLLC.
