BLAW 371 EXAM 1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026
Constitution - Answers -Fundamental law of the land establishes the limits and power
of government and the 3 branch system exists at national and state level as long as
state doesn't go against national level
Statute - Answers -State wide law can be created by congress
Ordinance - Answers -County or city law
Regulation - Answers -Made by an agency that responsibility was delegated to them
can be enforced to the extent that it is considered constitutional
Common law - Answers -The body of law that has developed from court decisions
judges follow earlier decisions that resolve similar disputes can vary by state but there's
consistency not a specific set of rules must be interpreted from the many decisions that
have been written over time
Stare Decisis - Answers -The use of precedent by courts the use of prior decisions to
guide decision making in cases before the courts creates a legal system that neutralizes
prejudices of individual judges
Precedent - Answers -A decision in a case that is used to guide decisions in later cases
with similar fact situations
Public law - Answers -Legal relationships between members of society and the
government imposes legal constraints bring about social change
Private law - Answers -Legal relationships among members of society resolves
disputes primarily common law
Civil law - Answers -Laws written or unwritten that specify the duties that exists
between and among people
Criminal law - Answers -Governs or defines legal wrongs or crimes committed against
society wrongdoers are punished for violating the rules of society a person found guilty
of a criminal offense is usually fined or imprisoned
Substantive law - Answers -Defines legal rights and regulates behavior defines what
you're entitled to do what is the law? the law is...
Procedural law - Answers -How legal matters are processed through the court or other
systems and how it is to be enforced the nuts and bolts what is the vehicle
information/inditement process of getting them into court
, Ethics - Answers -The rules or standards governing conduct of members of a
profession
Integrity - Answers -Living by a moral code and standards of ethics
Morality - Answers -Conformity to rules of correct conduct within the context of a
society religion or other institutional belief
Law - Answers -Enforceable rules of conduct set forth by a government to be followed
by the citizens of the society
1. influence behavior of members of society
2. Resolving disputes within society
3. maintaining important social values
4. Providing a method for assisting social change - Answers -Purposes of laws
Executive orders - Answers -Under power granted by the constitution or
congress/legislation an order by the president to establish or enforce a legal
requirement
The law contains rules that aren't moral or ethical but are imposed upon people ex:
slavery - Answers -Laws and ethics
Separation of powers - Answers -Three tiers of government legislative judiciary
executive are separate bodies each branch has control over the others places a limit on
power checks and balances
Corporate social responsibility - Answers -The belief that businesses have a duty to
society that goes beyond obeying the law and maximizing profits
There shouldn't be a distinction between personal and business ethics - Answers -
Peter Drucker's definition of business ethics
Preponderance of the evidence - Answers -In civil trials the burden of persuasion to win
a verdict requires that the plaintiff prove its claim by having the majority or bulk of the
evidence on its side
Beyond a reasonable doubt - Answers -In criminal law the general rule that for a judge
or jury to find a defendant guilty there can be no significant doubt that the defendant
violated a criminal statute
Agreement - Answers -Between president and another country president can enforce
when in power but doesn't have the same effect as a treaty
Constitution - Answers -Fundamental law of the land establishes the limits and power
of government and the 3 branch system exists at national and state level as long as
state doesn't go against national level
Statute - Answers -State wide law can be created by congress
Ordinance - Answers -County or city law
Regulation - Answers -Made by an agency that responsibility was delegated to them
can be enforced to the extent that it is considered constitutional
Common law - Answers -The body of law that has developed from court decisions
judges follow earlier decisions that resolve similar disputes can vary by state but there's
consistency not a specific set of rules must be interpreted from the many decisions that
have been written over time
Stare Decisis - Answers -The use of precedent by courts the use of prior decisions to
guide decision making in cases before the courts creates a legal system that neutralizes
prejudices of individual judges
Precedent - Answers -A decision in a case that is used to guide decisions in later cases
with similar fact situations
Public law - Answers -Legal relationships between members of society and the
government imposes legal constraints bring about social change
Private law - Answers -Legal relationships among members of society resolves
disputes primarily common law
Civil law - Answers -Laws written or unwritten that specify the duties that exists
between and among people
Criminal law - Answers -Governs or defines legal wrongs or crimes committed against
society wrongdoers are punished for violating the rules of society a person found guilty
of a criminal offense is usually fined or imprisoned
Substantive law - Answers -Defines legal rights and regulates behavior defines what
you're entitled to do what is the law? the law is...
Procedural law - Answers -How legal matters are processed through the court or other
systems and how it is to be enforced the nuts and bolts what is the vehicle
information/inditement process of getting them into court
, Ethics - Answers -The rules or standards governing conduct of members of a
profession
Integrity - Answers -Living by a moral code and standards of ethics
Morality - Answers -Conformity to rules of correct conduct within the context of a
society religion or other institutional belief
Law - Answers -Enforceable rules of conduct set forth by a government to be followed
by the citizens of the society
1. influence behavior of members of society
2. Resolving disputes within society
3. maintaining important social values
4. Providing a method for assisting social change - Answers -Purposes of laws
Executive orders - Answers -Under power granted by the constitution or
congress/legislation an order by the president to establish or enforce a legal
requirement
The law contains rules that aren't moral or ethical but are imposed upon people ex:
slavery - Answers -Laws and ethics
Separation of powers - Answers -Three tiers of government legislative judiciary
executive are separate bodies each branch has control over the others places a limit on
power checks and balances
Corporate social responsibility - Answers -The belief that businesses have a duty to
society that goes beyond obeying the law and maximizing profits
There shouldn't be a distinction between personal and business ethics - Answers -
Peter Drucker's definition of business ethics
Preponderance of the evidence - Answers -In civil trials the burden of persuasion to win
a verdict requires that the plaintiff prove its claim by having the majority or bulk of the
evidence on its side
Beyond a reasonable doubt - Answers -In criminal law the general rule that for a judge
or jury to find a defendant guilty there can be no significant doubt that the defendant
violated a criminal statute
Agreement - Answers -Between president and another country president can enforce
when in power but doesn't have the same effect as a treaty
