The American Legal System

What is common law?

• laws debated and passed by a parliament or Congress
• Written laws
• laws that regulate government action
• laws based on decisions made in court cases

What are statutory laws

• laws based on the decisions of judges

• both written laws and laws created by congress or parliament are correct

• Laws that are written

• Laws created by a congress or parliament

What is “stare decisis” based on?

• written statutes and decisions from previous cases
• Only written statutes
• appeals to circuit courts
• only case law

What is the problem with statutory law in general?  

• the laws can become outdated
• the laws can violate a person's constitutional rights
• the laws can not be enforced
• both blue and red are correct

Which of the following requires the arresting official to bring the person to court, explain why they were arrested, and show good reason for not releasing the  person?

• bill of attainder
• ex post facto law
• writ of Habeas corpus
• stare decisis

Article I of the constitution outlaws this: a law that punishes a person for a crime without a trial or a fair hearing in court.  What is the name for this?

• ex post facto law
• a writ of habeas corpus
• due process
• a bill of attainder

A law that punishes someone for an action that was not against the law when they committed it is called __________________________ and is NOT allowed 

• a writ of habeas corpus
• an ex post facto law
• a bill of attainder
• treason

Under the 4^thAmendment, we are protected by the fact that the government cannot take our property, liberty or lives without following the law.  This is called:

• the right to a lawyer
• the right to a speedy trial
• a bill of attainder
• due process

Which protection from the 14^th Amendment has been used in legal cases for civil rights and was questioned in the gay marriage debates?

• equal protection under law
• due process
• right to a bench trial
• freedom from cruel and unusual punishment

What is the only crime defined in the Constitution?

• murder
• treason
• larceny
• embezzlement