To accompany section 15.2 this presentation introduces civil, criminal, and public law.

1. Types of Laws
For use with section 15.2

2. Three types of law
a) criminal law to protect people from
deliberate or reckless harm; laws
directly written to limit people’s behavior
to keep society orderly and safe
b) civil law to find remedies when two
people come into conflict when there is
no law broken
c) public law to guide people’s actions in
order to be fair and equitable to
everyone, such as Constitutional law,
administrative law, statutory law

3. What is the adversary court
system?
 the system in the United States in which
the courtroom serves as an arena in
which lawyers for opposing sides present
their strongest cases
◦ going back to trial by combat, there has been
a long history of facing off against your
opponent when trying to determine an
outcome
◦ today the opponents compete in their
knowledge and use of the laws not physical
strength or fighting prowess
◦ plaintiff (prosecution) and defendant question
witnesses, show evidence all in an attempt to

4. In a court case, what is the
difference between the plaintiff and
the defendant?
 The plaintiff is the party that brings the
charges, and the defendant is the
party that is accused
◦ defendant is the one attempting to
maintain his innocence
◦ plaintiff is the one complaining
◦ in a criminal case, the plaintiff is called the
prosecution and represents society and is
referred to as “the people”

5. Two types of crimes
crimes against
people
crimes against
property
• murder,
• rape
• kidnapping
• robbery
• burglary
• arson

6. Torts
 A person may suffer an injury and
claim that another party is responsible
because of negligence
◦ a person will sue for injury, damages, and
punitive damages
◦ punitive damages are a penalty against
the defendant designed to prevent the
defendant from committing the action
again as well as deter other from taking
the same action

7. Three Other Types of Law
a) Constitutional Law
 deals with the formation, construction,
and interpretation of constitutions
 cases involving the limits of
government power and the rights of
individuals

8. Three Other Types of Law
b) Administrative Law
 the rules and procedures that guide
the executive branch and departments
in the way they carry out laws

9. Three Other Types of Law
c) Statutory Law
 laws that regulate behaviors and
procedures to be followed by citizens
 violation of these are usually not
considered crimes unless so stated in
the statute