Introduction to Law (an outline)

by John Bandler

This is an outline (with some factual nuggets) that I use to introduce law to non-lawyers. Some knowledge of law is important for everyone living in our country, which is a country of laws and process.

1. Introduction

1.1. Why this outline on law?

We all need to know something about law. Yes, including and especially non-lawyers.

So this is my outline. And I use it for an online course I created, and a book is coming someday too.

1.2. Thinking about laws and rules Rules infographic - laws outlined

Think of laws and our legal system are simply types of rules for people and society (link to my other article on Rules below).

Questions to get us thinking:

  1. How long have societies been creating rules and laws?
  2. What is law?
  3. What is the purpose of law?
  4. How would societies govern conduct of individuals without laws?
  5. How would we resolve disputes without laws?
  6. Why do we have lawyers?

There are two sayings to think about regarding the law and lawyers. Consider what they might mean, including alternate interpretations.

  1. "The law is a[n] ass - a idiot."  (See Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, Mr. Bumble speaking).
  2. "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers."  (See William Shakespeare's Henry VI, Part 2, Act IV, Scene 2).

1.3 Where do laws come from? (Sources of law)

Sources of law include:Laws infographic 2023-3 simple

  • US Constitution and state Constitutions
  • Statutes (legislation) from the US and states.
  • Court decisions (common law, judge made law)

The U.S. Constitution is the highest law in the United States. It establishes our system of government, with three branches of government (executive, legislative, judicial), and a system of checks and balances. It also limits the power of government, and guarantees certain rights to the people. There are amendments to the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights (Amendments 1-10). The First Amendment protects us from government restrictions on speech, religion and more. The Fourth Amendment protects us from unreasonable search and seizure by the government.

How is a law (statute) passed in the U.S.?

What is a regulation?

1.4 Bodies of law (areas of law)Criminal law vs Civil Law Bandler 2023-12

I break it into three major categories for simplicity, giving Constitutional law a separate category because it is the foundation of the country, and then criminal and civil, as below and in the diagram:

  • Constitutional law
  • Criminal law
  • Civil law (a broad category).

Now here's a more detailed list, though far from complete.

  • Constitutional law
  • Criminal law
  • Civil law (a broad category that includes many of the below)
    • Tort law ("wrongs" committed intentionally or negligently)
      • Intentional torts
      • Negligence torts
    • Contract law
    • Property law
    • Cybersecurity Law
    • Privacy law
    • Regulatory law
    • Intellectual property law
    • Employment law
    • International law
    • More
  • Law of international conflict (warfare)
  • Other international law (Maritime law)
  • More

2. The U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, and other Amendments

The U.S. Constitution is our country's foundational law which establishes our system of government and many rights, and it deserves it's own section.

Government laws, regulations, and actions cannot conflict with the Constitution, since the Constitution is the highest law of the land. Of course, interpreting what is "constitutional" is an evolving concept and subject to change.

The first ten Amendments are known as the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment includes freedom of speech from excessive governmental restriction. The Fourth Amendment includes freedom from excessive governmental search and seizure.

More in my separate article on this.

3. Criminal law (substance and procedure)

Who investigates and prosecutes crimes?

  • State: State criminal statutes applied in a state court. A state/local prosecutor and usually by state and local law enforcement.
  • Federal: Federal criminal statutes applied in a criminal court. A federal prosecutor and usually federal law enforcement.

What is the difference between a state criminal prosecution and a federal criminal prosecution?

3.1 Substantive criminal law

Every crime has “elements”. Those elements (almost always) include:

  1. Act (or sometimes an omission to act) – Actus Reus
  2. Culpable mental state – Mens rea
    • Intentionally
      • Intent vs Motive
    • Knowingly
    • Criminal negligence
    • Recklessly
  1. Other elements as laid out in the statute

Even if a person commits every element of a crime, they may be able to raise a defense, such as:

  • Justification (e.g. self defense)
  • Necessity
  • Entrapment
  • Duress
  • Mental disease/defect (insanity)
  • Renunciation

3.2 Procedural criminal law

The criminal prosecution process

  • Parties: Gov't vs. individual (or entity)
  • Grand Jury
  • The prosecution process (litigation)
    • Arrest
    • Arraignment
    • Indictment (not always in this order)
    • Motions (see Fourth Amendment)
    • Hearing
    • Trial
    • Sentencing
    • Appeal
  • Burden of proof
  • Asset forfeiture (civil)

Part of the procedure involves evidence gathering and the Fourth Amendment (see next).

3.3 The Fourth Amendment protects us from unreasonable search and seizure by the government. Fourth Amendment law is a body of criminal constitutional law that restricts how the government can collect evidence, protecting rights of individuals. It includes:

  • Expectation of privacy from government intrusion (compare this concept with civil privacy, which is different)
  • Consent
  • Search warrant requirement
  • Exceptions to the search warrant requirement
  • Workplace searches and monitoring
  • Private searches vs public searches

The exclusionary rule means that if law enforcement collects evidence illegally or unlawfully, the evidence will be excluded (suppressed) and cannot be used at trial. This includes:

  • Physical evidence (Mapp)
  • Unlawful arrest (Dunaway, seizure of person)
  • Statements/confessions (Jackson-Denno/Huntley)
  • Identification of a defendant by a witness (Wade)
  • Fruit of the poisonous tree

4. Civil law and procedure

4.1 Civil procedure, including the civil litigation process

  • Pre litigation
  • Complaint
  • Motion to dismiss
  • Answer to the complaint
  • Discovery
  • Summary judgment motion
  • Trial
  • Appeal

Note burdens of proof at each stage, and compare it with criminal law.

4.2 Civil causes of action

  • Torts ("wrongs")
    • Intentional torts ("wrongs")
    • Negligent torts ("wrongs")
      • Elements: Duty to plaintiff, breach of that duty, proximate causation of damages
      • Premises liability – duty of landlord/property manager regarding crime
      • Cybersecurity/cybercrime
  • Breach of contract
    • Contract elements = offer and acceptance and consideration (and does not violate public interest/policy)
  • Statutory civil causes of action

4.3 Misc. civil law

Data law (cybersecurity, privacy, data breach notification, data disposal)

Intellectual property law (copyright, trademark, patent, trade secrets)

Business law and managing a business

Regulatory law (licensing and regulation)

  • Laws, regulations requiring certain conduct
  • Government as plaintiff
  • Licensing
  • Regulation (financial, AML, cybersecurity, health, consumer protection)

5. Law of warfare and international conflict

Laws of sovereignty, starting a war, conducting a war, cyberconflict, and more.

Yes, there's laws about this too. Of course, not every country follows them.

6. Other legal concepts and background

6.1 Miscellaneous

Somewhat of my first miscellaneous section. Legal terms you may hear.

  • Burdens of proof (at trial and various other stages in a proceeding)
  • Standard of review (by a court)
  • Res judicata (the thing stands decided). This dispute, these facts are already decided.
  • Stare decisis (precedent, the legal authority of a decision, which contributes to "case law")
  • Evidence types
    • Direct vs circumstantial (which is “better”?)
    • Real
    • Demonstrative
  • Evidence admissibility
    • Relevant
    • Authenticated
    • Lack of undue prejudice
  • Hearsay rule: The law prefers live testimony, statements made in court, under oath, subject to cross examination, so the fact finder can assess credibility (jury or judge).
  • Exceptions to the hearsay rule include
    • business records exception
    • present sense impression
    • excited utterance
    • statement by a party opponent

6.2 Our nation of laws means citizens have their own role and constitutional duties

A duty to vote means we select our government officials, and implies a duty to cast an informed, knowledgeable, and reasoned vote.

A duty to serve on juries means we play an important role in the justice system, and implies a duty to show up and serve in good faith, keep an open mind, hear the facts, follow the law as instructed by the judge.

6.3 Reading and summarizing (“briefing”) a case

I moved this article to another page, since this page was getting kind of long. See Briefing a case

6.4 When you need a lawyer and how to find a good one

7. Some of my favorite movie and TV clips relating to law

I have moved this into a separate article: Law in popular media

8. Learning more about law, finding cases and statutes

Unfortunately, statutes and cases can be difficult to read and understand, but it is worth the effort to try. Some lawyers--including judges-- could improve the clarity and simplicity of their writing.

A judge's decision in a case creates law (known as "case law", or perhaps "common law"), but also remember that every case is unique and of varying "precedent".

9. Conclusion

Of course, this is an outline with some points and brief explanation, and not a full article or a book.

By thinking on law has evolved greatly as I work on my next book on cyberlaw, which includes an introduction to law. Then I will write a book on introduction to law.

And this is not legal advice nor tailored to your circumstances.

10. My articles on this site

11. My online course at Udemy

Introduction to Law course by John Bandler
Click to visit my Udemy course Introduction to Law

This article is hosted at https://johnbandler.com/introduction-to-law-outline, copyright John Bandler, all rights reserved.

A version of this article is also available on Medium, at https://johnbandler.medium.com/introduction-to-law-outline-3a7e6171596e (not kept as current, and not formatted as well).

Posted 2/1/2021. Updated 01/02/2025.