Introduction to the American Legal System
e e e e e
Konnie G. Kustron
e e
1. Background of U.S. Law in the United States
e e e e e e e e
➢ Objectives
• Discuss and define the importance of studying the law;
• IdentifyetheehistoricalesourcesethatesupportetheefoundationseofeU.S.ela
w;
• ExplainehowetheeDeclarationeofeIndependence,etheeConstitution,eande
theeBilleofeRightseapplyetoemoderneU.S.elaw;
➢
• IdentifyetheeimportanceeandesignificanceeofetheeBilleofeRightsetoethose
livingeinetheeUnitedeStates.
1.1 Why Study the Law?
e e e e
Studyingetheelaweiseimportantebecauseetheelaweiseaeparteofeeverythingeyouedoefrometheeda
yeyoueareeborn.eTheelaweregulatesewhateinformationegoeseoneyourebirthecertificate,ewhe
neyoueareerequiredetoeattendeschool,ewheneyouecanedriveeaecar,eandewheneyouecanevote.e
Onetheeotherehand,eitealsoegiveseyouefreedomseanderightsethatepeopleeineotherecountrie
semayenotehave.eSomeeofetheseeincludeetheerightetoecriticizeeyouregovernmenteandetheeri
ghtetoebeepresumedeinnocenteifeyoueareeaccusedeofeaecrime.e[T3,e1.1]
1.2 What is a Law? What is a Legal System?
e e e e e e e e e
Aseyouebegineyourestudyeofetheelaw,eyouewantetoeunderstandewhateaelaweiseandeitserelati
onshipetoeaelegalesystem.eAelaweiseaeseteoferulesethateguidesetheebehavioreofeaesociety.eI
teisesomethingethatemustebeeobeyed.eWhenethoseeruleseareebroken,eruleebreakerseareep
unishedewithepenalties.eOnetheeotherehand,eaelegalesystemeiseaneorganizationeofesociale
andegovernmentecontrolethatecreateseanderegulateseordereineaesocietyethroughelaws.eIte
isethiseorganizationethateregulatesetheesystemeoferuleseanderegulationsedesignedetoeenc
ourageegoodebehavioreandetoedeterenegativeeconduct.
,Aelegalesystemeiseaecomplexeseteoferules,eregulations,eandeinstitutionsethategovernseaes
ociety.eIteisedesignedetoeprovideeorder,estability,eandepredictabilityeinesocialeandeecono
miceinteractions.eTheelegalesystemeisemadeeupeofevariousecomponents,eincludingelaws,ec
ourts,ejudges,eandelegaleprofessionals.
Lawseareetheefoundationeofetheelegalesystem.eTheyeareecreatedebyelegislativeebodies,es
ucheaseCongresseorestateelegislatures,eandeareedesignedetoeregulateebehavioreandeprov
ideeaeframeworkeforeresolvingedisputes.eLawsecanebeeclassifiedeintoedifferentecategorie
s,esucheasecriminalelaw,ecivilelaw,eandeadministrativeelaw.
Courtseareetheeinstitutionseresponsibleeforeinterpretingeandeenforcingetheelaw.eTheyear
eeresponsibleeforeresolvingedisputesebetweeneindividualseandeorganizations,eandeforeens
uringethatetheelaweiseappliedefairlyeandeconsistently.eJudgeseareetheeindividualserespons
ibleeforeinterpretingetheelaweandemakingedecisionseinecourtecases.
Legaleprofessionals,esucheaseattorneyseandeparalegals,eplayeaneimportanteroleeinetheele
galesystem.eTheyeareeresponsibleeforerepresentingeclientseinecourt,eprovidingelegaleadvi
ce,eandeensuringethatetheelaweiseappliedecorrectly.
Theelegalesystemeisedesignedetoeprovideeordereandestabilityeinesociety.eIteisebasedeoneth
eeprincipleethateeveryoneeiseequaleunderetheelaweandethatetheelaweshouldebeeappliedefairl
yeandeconsistently.eTheelegalesystemeisealsoedesignedetoeprotecteindividualerightseandefr
eedoms,esucheasetheerightetoefreeespeech,etheerightetoeaefairetrial,eandetheerightetoepriva
cy.
Ineconclusion,eaelaweiseaeseteoferulesethateguidesetheebehavioreofeaesociety,ewhileeaelegalesy
stemeiseaneorganizationeofesocialeandegovernmentecontrolethatecreateseanderegulateseord
ereineaesocietyethroughelaws.eTheelegalesystemeisemadeeupeofevariousecomponents,einclu
dingelaws,ecourts,ejudges,eandelegaleprofessionals,eandeisedesignedetoeprovideeorder,est
ability,eandepredictabilityeinesocialeandeeconomiceinteractions.
,1.3 TheeDevelopmenteofeLegaleAuthorityeinetheeUnitedeStates
FrometheetimeeearlyeexplorersecrossedetheeboundarieseintoewhateisenowetheeUnitedeStat
es,ethereehaveealwaysebeeneinstanceseofepeopleeseekingejusticeeforewrongseoreresolutio
neforeaccusationsemadeeagainstethem.eThisewasenoedifferenteineearlyeAmerica,esoeine1774
etheecolonistsemeteinePhiladelphiaeandecreatedetheeFirsteContinentaleCongressewhereeju
sticeestartedeitseformalizationeprocess.
ThiseCongressewaseformedeineresponseetoeaevarietyeofelawseimposedebyetheeBritish,eofte
necalledethee“IntolerableeActs.”eTheseelawsefrometheeBritishegovernmenterestrictedeman
yefreedomseofetheecolonists.eForeexample,etheecoloniesewereerequiredetoeuseespecialepa
pereimportedefromeEnglandeonealleprintedematerials.eTheseematerialsewereealsoeembos
sedewithetheeBritishe“stampetax.”eTheecoloniesewereeangryewithethiserequirementeand,e
withetheeexceptioneofeGeorgia,erespondedebyerefusingetoeimporteBritishegoods.eTheeBrit
ish,edispleasedewithetheeAmericanerebellion,esubsequentlyeinvadedetheeAmericanecolon
ies.
TheeFirsteContinentaleCongressewaseaesignificanteeventeinetheedevelopmenteofelegaleaut
horityeinetheeUnitedeStates.eItewasetheefirstetimeethaterepresentativesefrometheecolonies
ehadecomeetogetheretoediscussetheiregrievanceseandetoetakeecollectiveeaction.eTheeCong
resseissuedeaeDeclarationeofeRightseandeGrievances,ewhicheoutlinedetheecolonists'eobjec
tionsetoeBritisheruleeandecalledeforeaeboycotteofeBritishegoods.
TheeSecondeContinentaleCongress,ewhichemeteine1775,ewaseevenemoreesignificant.eItew
aseduringethiseCongressethatetheedecisionewasemadeetoedeclareeindependenceefromeGre
ateBritain.eTheeDeclarationeofeIndependence,ewhichewaseadoptedeoneJulye4,e1776,edecla
redethatetheecoloniesewereefreeeandeindependentestates,eandethatetheyehadetheerightetoe
governethemselves.
AfteretheeDeclarationeofeIndependence,etheenewlyeformedeUnitedeStatesefacedetheechal
lengeeofecreatingeaelegalesystemethatewouldeprovideeordereandestabilityeinesociety.eTheeC
onstitutioneofetheeUnitedeStates,ewhichewaseadoptedeine1787,eestablishedeaefederalesys
temeofegovernmenteandecreatedeaeframeworkeforetheelegalesystem.
TheeConstitutioneestablishedethreeebrancheseofegovernment:etheelegislative,eexecutive
,eandejudicialebranches.eTheelegislativeebrancheiseresponsibleeforemakingelaws,etheeexe
cutiveebrancheiseresponsibleeforeenforcingelaws,eandetheejudicialebrancheiseresponsibleef
oreinterpretingelaws.
, TheeConstitutionealsoeestablishedetheeSupremeeCourteofetheeUnitedeStates,ewhicheiseth
eehighestecourteinetheeland.eTheeSupremeeCourteiseresponsibleeforeinterpretingetheeCon
stitutioneandeforeresolvingedisputesebetweenestateseandebetweeneindividualseandetheeg
overnment.
Overetime,etheelegalesystemeinetheeUnitedeStatesehasecontinuedetoeevolveeandedevelop.
Newe lawse havee beene enacted,e newe courtse havee beene established,e ande newe legalepri
nciplesehaveebeeneestablished.
1.4 The Declaration of Independence
e e e
TheesigningeofetheeDeclarationeofeIndependenceewaseaepivotaleeventeinetheehistoryeofeth
eeUnitedeStates.eItewaseinethisedocumentethatetheecoloniesedeclaredetheireindependenc
eefromeEngland.eTheewell-
knowneorator,eThomaseJeffersonewasetheeprimaryeauthoreofetheeDeclarationeofeIndepe
ndence.eThisedocumenteoutlinedetheegrievancesetheecolonistsehadeagainstetheeKingeofeE
ngland,ewhichejustifiedetheedissolutioneofetheerelationshipebetweenetheeU.S.ecoloniesea
ndetheeBritisheEmpire.
TheeDeclarationeofeIndependenceewaseadoptedebyetheeSecondeContinentaleCongresseo
neJulye4,e1776.eTheedocumentebeginsewitheaepreambleethatesetseforthetheeprincipleseup
onewhichetheeUnitedeStatesewasefounded.eItestatesethateallemeneareecreatedeequaleandet
hatetheyeareeendowedebyetheireCreatorewithecertaineunalienableerights,eincludingelife,elib
erty,eandetheepursuiteofehappiness.
TheeDeclarationeofeIndependenceethenegoeseonetoelistetheespecificegrievancesethatetheec
olonistsehadeagainstetheeKingeofeEngland.eTheseegrievanceseincludedetheeimpositioneofe
taxesewithoutetheeconsenteofetheecolonists,etheequarteringeofeBritishetroopseineprivateeh
omes,eandetheedenialeofetrialebyejury.
TheeDeclarationeofeIndependenceeconcludesewitheaestatementethatetheecoloniesearee"fr
eeeandeindependentestates"eandethatetheyehaveetheerightetoe"levyewar,econcludeepeace,
econtractealliances,eestablishecommerce,eandetoedoealleothereactseandethingsewhicheinde
pendentestatesemayeoferightedo."
e e e e e
Konnie G. Kustron
e e
1. Background of U.S. Law in the United States
e e e e e e e e
➢ Objectives
• Discuss and define the importance of studying the law;
• IdentifyetheehistoricalesourcesethatesupportetheefoundationseofeU.S.ela
w;
• ExplainehowetheeDeclarationeofeIndependence,etheeConstitution,eande
theeBilleofeRightseapplyetoemoderneU.S.elaw;
➢
• IdentifyetheeimportanceeandesignificanceeofetheeBilleofeRightsetoethose
livingeinetheeUnitedeStates.
1.1 Why Study the Law?
e e e e
Studyingetheelaweiseimportantebecauseetheelaweiseaeparteofeeverythingeyouedoefrometheeda
yeyoueareeborn.eTheelaweregulatesewhateinformationegoeseoneyourebirthecertificate,ewhe
neyoueareerequiredetoeattendeschool,ewheneyouecanedriveeaecar,eandewheneyouecanevote.e
Onetheeotherehand,eitealsoegiveseyouefreedomseanderightsethatepeopleeineotherecountrie
semayenotehave.eSomeeofetheseeincludeetheerightetoecriticizeeyouregovernmenteandetheeri
ghtetoebeepresumedeinnocenteifeyoueareeaccusedeofeaecrime.e[T3,e1.1]
1.2 What is a Law? What is a Legal System?
e e e e e e e e e
Aseyouebegineyourestudyeofetheelaw,eyouewantetoeunderstandewhateaelaweiseandeitserelati
onshipetoeaelegalesystem.eAelaweiseaeseteoferulesethateguidesetheebehavioreofeaesociety.eI
teisesomethingethatemustebeeobeyed.eWhenethoseeruleseareebroken,eruleebreakerseareep
unishedewithepenalties.eOnetheeotherehand,eaelegalesystemeiseaneorganizationeofesociale
andegovernmentecontrolethatecreateseanderegulateseordereineaesocietyethroughelaws.eIte
isethiseorganizationethateregulatesetheesystemeoferuleseanderegulationsedesignedetoeenc
ourageegoodebehavioreandetoedeterenegativeeconduct.
,Aelegalesystemeiseaecomplexeseteoferules,eregulations,eandeinstitutionsethategovernseaes
ociety.eIteisedesignedetoeprovideeorder,estability,eandepredictabilityeinesocialeandeecono
miceinteractions.eTheelegalesystemeisemadeeupeofevariousecomponents,eincludingelaws,ec
ourts,ejudges,eandelegaleprofessionals.
Lawseareetheefoundationeofetheelegalesystem.eTheyeareecreatedebyelegislativeebodies,es
ucheaseCongresseorestateelegislatures,eandeareedesignedetoeregulateebehavioreandeprov
ideeaeframeworkeforeresolvingedisputes.eLawsecanebeeclassifiedeintoedifferentecategorie
s,esucheasecriminalelaw,ecivilelaw,eandeadministrativeelaw.
Courtseareetheeinstitutionseresponsibleeforeinterpretingeandeenforcingetheelaw.eTheyear
eeresponsibleeforeresolvingedisputesebetweeneindividualseandeorganizations,eandeforeens
uringethatetheelaweiseappliedefairlyeandeconsistently.eJudgeseareetheeindividualserespons
ibleeforeinterpretingetheelaweandemakingedecisionseinecourtecases.
Legaleprofessionals,esucheaseattorneyseandeparalegals,eplayeaneimportanteroleeinetheele
galesystem.eTheyeareeresponsibleeforerepresentingeclientseinecourt,eprovidingelegaleadvi
ce,eandeensuringethatetheelaweiseappliedecorrectly.
Theelegalesystemeisedesignedetoeprovideeordereandestabilityeinesociety.eIteisebasedeoneth
eeprincipleethateeveryoneeiseequaleunderetheelaweandethatetheelaweshouldebeeappliedefairl
yeandeconsistently.eTheelegalesystemeisealsoedesignedetoeprotecteindividualerightseandefr
eedoms,esucheasetheerightetoefreeespeech,etheerightetoeaefairetrial,eandetheerightetoepriva
cy.
Ineconclusion,eaelaweiseaeseteoferulesethateguidesetheebehavioreofeaesociety,ewhileeaelegalesy
stemeiseaneorganizationeofesocialeandegovernmentecontrolethatecreateseanderegulateseord
ereineaesocietyethroughelaws.eTheelegalesystemeisemadeeupeofevariousecomponents,einclu
dingelaws,ecourts,ejudges,eandelegaleprofessionals,eandeisedesignedetoeprovideeorder,est
ability,eandepredictabilityeinesocialeandeeconomiceinteractions.
,1.3 TheeDevelopmenteofeLegaleAuthorityeinetheeUnitedeStates
FrometheetimeeearlyeexplorersecrossedetheeboundarieseintoewhateisenowetheeUnitedeStat
es,ethereehaveealwaysebeeneinstanceseofepeopleeseekingejusticeeforewrongseoreresolutio
neforeaccusationsemadeeagainstethem.eThisewasenoedifferenteineearlyeAmerica,esoeine1774
etheecolonistsemeteinePhiladelphiaeandecreatedetheeFirsteContinentaleCongressewhereeju
sticeestartedeitseformalizationeprocess.
ThiseCongressewaseformedeineresponseetoeaevarietyeofelawseimposedebyetheeBritish,eofte
necalledethee“IntolerableeActs.”eTheseelawsefrometheeBritishegovernmenterestrictedeman
yefreedomseofetheecolonists.eForeexample,etheecoloniesewereerequiredetoeuseespecialepa
pereimportedefromeEnglandeonealleprintedematerials.eTheseematerialsewereealsoeembos
sedewithetheeBritishe“stampetax.”eTheecoloniesewereeangryewithethiserequirementeand,e
withetheeexceptioneofeGeorgia,erespondedebyerefusingetoeimporteBritishegoods.eTheeBrit
ish,edispleasedewithetheeAmericanerebellion,esubsequentlyeinvadedetheeAmericanecolon
ies.
TheeFirsteContinentaleCongressewaseaesignificanteeventeinetheedevelopmenteofelegaleaut
horityeinetheeUnitedeStates.eItewasetheefirstetimeethaterepresentativesefrometheecolonies
ehadecomeetogetheretoediscussetheiregrievanceseandetoetakeecollectiveeaction.eTheeCong
resseissuedeaeDeclarationeofeRightseandeGrievances,ewhicheoutlinedetheecolonists'eobjec
tionsetoeBritisheruleeandecalledeforeaeboycotteofeBritishegoods.
TheeSecondeContinentaleCongress,ewhichemeteine1775,ewaseevenemoreesignificant.eItew
aseduringethiseCongressethatetheedecisionewasemadeetoedeclareeindependenceefromeGre
ateBritain.eTheeDeclarationeofeIndependence,ewhichewaseadoptedeoneJulye4,e1776,edecla
redethatetheecoloniesewereefreeeandeindependentestates,eandethatetheyehadetheerightetoe
governethemselves.
AfteretheeDeclarationeofeIndependence,etheenewlyeformedeUnitedeStatesefacedetheechal
lengeeofecreatingeaelegalesystemethatewouldeprovideeordereandestabilityeinesociety.eTheeC
onstitutioneofetheeUnitedeStates,ewhichewaseadoptedeine1787,eestablishedeaefederalesys
temeofegovernmenteandecreatedeaeframeworkeforetheelegalesystem.
TheeConstitutioneestablishedethreeebrancheseofegovernment:etheelegislative,eexecutive
,eandejudicialebranches.eTheelegislativeebrancheiseresponsibleeforemakingelaws,etheeexe
cutiveebrancheiseresponsibleeforeenforcingelaws,eandetheejudicialebrancheiseresponsibleef
oreinterpretingelaws.
, TheeConstitutionealsoeestablishedetheeSupremeeCourteofetheeUnitedeStates,ewhicheiseth
eehighestecourteinetheeland.eTheeSupremeeCourteiseresponsibleeforeinterpretingetheeCon
stitutioneandeforeresolvingedisputesebetweenestateseandebetweeneindividualseandetheeg
overnment.
Overetime,etheelegalesystemeinetheeUnitedeStatesehasecontinuedetoeevolveeandedevelop.
Newe lawse havee beene enacted,e newe courtse havee beene established,e ande newe legalepri
nciplesehaveebeeneestablished.
1.4 The Declaration of Independence
e e e
TheesigningeofetheeDeclarationeofeIndependenceewaseaepivotaleeventeinetheehistoryeofeth
eeUnitedeStates.eItewaseinethisedocumentethatetheecoloniesedeclaredetheireindependenc
eefromeEngland.eTheewell-
knowneorator,eThomaseJeffersonewasetheeprimaryeauthoreofetheeDeclarationeofeIndepe
ndence.eThisedocumenteoutlinedetheegrievancesetheecolonistsehadeagainstetheeKingeofeE
ngland,ewhichejustifiedetheedissolutioneofetheerelationshipebetweenetheeU.S.ecoloniesea
ndetheeBritisheEmpire.
TheeDeclarationeofeIndependenceewaseadoptedebyetheeSecondeContinentaleCongresseo
neJulye4,e1776.eTheedocumentebeginsewitheaepreambleethatesetseforthetheeprincipleseup
onewhichetheeUnitedeStatesewasefounded.eItestatesethateallemeneareecreatedeequaleandet
hatetheyeareeendowedebyetheireCreatorewithecertaineunalienableerights,eincludingelife,elib
erty,eandetheepursuiteofehappiness.
TheeDeclarationeofeIndependenceethenegoeseonetoelistetheespecificegrievancesethatetheec
olonistsehadeagainstetheeKingeofeEngland.eTheseegrievanceseincludedetheeimpositioneofe
taxesewithoutetheeconsenteofetheecolonists,etheequarteringeofeBritishetroopseineprivateeh
omes,eandetheedenialeofetrialebyejury.
TheeDeclarationeofeIndependenceeconcludesewitheaestatementethatetheecoloniesearee"fr
eeeandeindependentestates"eandethatetheyehaveetheerightetoe"levyewar,econcludeepeace,
econtractealliances,eestablishecommerce,eandetoedoealleothereactseandethingsewhicheinde
pendentestatesemayeoferightedo."
