Basic legal concepts

Question 1

What is Law?

Answer 1

A set of rules imposed on all
members of a community which
are officially recognized binding
and enforceable by persons or
organisations such as the police
and/or courts.

Question 2

What are values?

Answer 2

Principles, standards, or qualities,
considered worthwhile or
desirable within a society.

Question 3

What are rules?

Answer 3

Regulations or principles
governing procedure or
controlling conduct

Question 4

Customs?

Answer 4

Collective habits or traditions that
have developed in a society over
a long period of time.

Question 5

Customary law?

Answer 5

Principles and procedures that
have developed according to the
customs of a people or nation or
group of nations; and are treated
as obligatory.

Question 6

Nation state?

Answer 6

A politically independent country

Question 7

Ethics?

Answer 7

1) Rules or standards governing
the conduct of a person or the
members of a profession; 2) A
major branch of philosophy which
investigates the nature of values
and of right and wrong conduct

Question 8

Legal System

Answer 8

The system of courts,
prosecutors and police in a
country.

Question 9

Equality

Answer 9

The state or equality of being
equal, that is, of having the same
rights or status

Question 10

Fairness

Answer 10

Free from bias, dishonesty, or
injustice; a concept commonly
related to everyday activities.

Question 11

Doli Incapax - A latin term

Answer 11

‘Incapable of Wrong; the
presumption that a child under 10
years of age cannot be held
legally responsible for his or her
actions and cannot be guilty of a
criminal or civil offence.

Question 12

Access

Answer 12

The right or opportunity to make
use of something

Question 13

Procedural Fairness/Natural
Justice

Answer 13

The body of principles used to
ensure that fairness and justice
of the decision-making procedure
of courts; in Australia it generally
refers to the right to present your
case, the right to freedom from
bias by decision-makers, and the
right to a decision based on
logically relevant evidence.

Question 14

Rule of Law

Answer 14

The principle that no one is above
the law; the most important
application of the rule of law is
that governmental authority is
exercised in accordance with
written, publicly disclosed laws
that are adopted and enforced inaccordance with established
procedural steps (due process).

Question 15

Tyranny

Answer 15

Rule by a single leader holding
absolute power in a nation-state.

Question 15

Sanction

Answer 15

A penalty imposed on those who
break the law, usually in the form
of a fine or punishment.

Question 15

Anarchy

Answer 15

The absence of laws and
government. A state of
lawlessness.