Business Law Review Flashcards
Constitutional Law
Supreme law of the land
Supremacy clause
10th amendment
Reserves to power of states all powers that are not granted in the constitution
At what level does Statutory Law fall under?
- Laws enacted by a legislative bodies (Congress / Senate / House of Reps) AKA FEDERAL LAWS
- Laws enacted by State legislatures
- Laws enacted by local governments that create ORDINANCES
Where are FEDERAL passed laws documented?
In the USC (United States Code) in an order where each section represents a different topic of law
Where are STATE passed laws documented?
In the State’s code
Uniform Laws
Suggested legislation that is suggested so every state has the same rules
When do Uniform Laws become adopted?
Only when it is adopted by the state legislature
Administrative Law
Laws created on the federal / state / and local levels
Ceation of an administrative agency to handle specific areas of the law who will then make the rules on that topic
Where are laws that are passed by administrative agencies documented?
In the Code of Federal Regulation
Ex. of State Administrative agencies
Colorado EPA (can run parallel to the federal administration)
What are the two types of Federal administrative agencies?
Executive and Independent
What are the differences between Executive and Independent agencies?
Executive: subject to the authority of the president (president has a lot of say Ex. (FDA)
Independent: created to deal with a topic and cannot be controlled as much
(officers serve for a specific period of time Ex. Federal Trade Commission)
Substantive Law
law that defines and regulates the rights and obligations of people and organizations
Procedural Law
rules that govern how legal cases are handled and resolved in a court system
Stare Decisis
judges are supposed to follow past court decisions
Case Law
laws based on past court decisions
judges deciding whether or not something is constitutional
What are the two general exceptions to Stare Decisis?
- arguing the fact pattern is different than those in past cases where a decision was made
- court decides the past ruling was incorrect
Can you overturn the Supreme Court?
No - you cannot directly overturn the Supreme Court BUT you can amend the Constitution (not easy, but doable)
Civil Law
individual vs. individual usually dealing with monetary settlements
Ex. contract law, tort law
Criminal Law
wrongs against society and has to be punished
Trial Court
Lowest forms of court
One judge who hears the case
Opinions are not usually documented at the trial level
Plaintiff + Petitioner / Defendant + Respondent
Trial level
Appellant (lost) + Appellee (won)
Appellate level
Concurring opinion
written by a judge who is voting with the majority but they are writing their own opinion/explanation
Dissenting opinion
written by judge who disagree with the majority
Plurality opinion
opinion of the most judges, but not enough for the majority
Per Curiam opinion
opinion of the court, but does not indicate which judge wrote the opinion
What level of court is used as the basis for Stare Decisis?
Appellate court (appeals court)
Federal Powers
specific powers set forth in the constitution
state powers (aka police powers)
if a power is not specifically set forth by the constitution, then that power belongs to the state
Ex. criminal law, public order, health, safety, building and zoning, etc.
Privileges and Immunities Clause
Prevents states from imposing unreasonable burdens on citizens from other states
Ex. Colorado showing preference to Colorado residents in hiring than those in Washington
Full Faith and Credit Clause
Each state must recognize other states rulings on deeds, wills, and contracts.
Ex. If I have a contract in Colorado, Washington has to recognize it
3 Branches of Government
Legislative: makes laws
Executive: enforces laws
Judicial: interprets laws
Commerce Clause (Constitutional Clause)
prevents states from making laws that interfere with commerce between states (interstate)
Supremacy Clause (Constitutional Clause)
Consitution is the supreme law of the land - if there’s a direct conflict between Federal and State laws, Federal always trumps
Taxing and Spending Power Article 1 (Constitutional Clause)
Congress (legislative) has the power to collect taxes and pay the debts of the country
1rst Amendment in the Bill of Rights
protects freedom of speech, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
4th Amendment in the Bill of Rights
protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government
5th and 14th Amendments in the Bill of Rights
requires that the government to operate within the law and provide fair procedures - no one shall be “deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law.” - EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWS
Symbolic speech
Nonverbal expressions of opinions or thoughts about a subject - protected under the first amendment, guarantee of freedom of speech
Unprotected speech
Fighting words, or words that are likely to incite others to respond violently – also includes defamatory speech
Procedural Due Process
right to a notice and given an opportunity to be heard - following the process
Substantive Due Process
allows courts to protect fundamental rights from government interference
Ex. All people have the right to free speech, he right to own property, and the right to a fair trial
Strict Scrutiny
testing against the restriction of fundamental rights
Intermediate Scrutiny
used in gender and legitimacy cases
Rational Basis Test
used in economics and social welfare
Freedom of Information Act of 1966
people can request copies of personal information held by the government
Privacy act of 1974
Protects the privacy of individuals about whom the federal government has information
USA patriot act
Gives government officials increased authority to monitor Internet activities, and to gain access to personal financial information and student information
Legal vs. Ethical
required by law vs. a question of right or wrong
Moral minimum
the expectation that everyone is compliant with the law
Private Company Codes of Ethics
NOT LAW - company conduct
Industry Ethical Codes
NOT LAW - professional conduct
Duty based ethics
based on the philosophy that everyone has a duty to others (human and planet)
CANT WORRY ABOUT CONSEQUENCES, I JUST HAVE TO DO MY DUTY
Outcome based ethics
focuses on the consequence of an action (utilitarianism)
IDDR Ethical Decision Framework
I - Inquire about an ethical problem
D - discuss the course of action and impacts
D - decide the rational
R - review the solution for effectiveness
Short-run profit maximization
Company may increase its profits by continuing to sell a product, even though it knows that the product is defective
Intellectual Property
any product of someone’s creation
What is the only category of intellectual property that has to be registered in order to be protected?
Patents
Trademark
distinctive mark / motto or slogan / symbol to identify the seller
Ex. Nike Swoosh / Just Do It
Ex. McDonalds / Golden Arches
What are the 5 levels of mark distinctiveness?
- Fanciful
- Arbitrary
- Suggestive
- Descriptive
- Generic
Strong marks
Fanciful, arbitrary, suggestive (receives automatic protection)
Fanciful marks (trademark)
Made up word that doesn’t exist anywhere else, that is attached to a “product”
Ex. Google / Kleenex
Arbitrary marks (trademark)
Words that exist elsewhere but is attached to the product as a descriptor
Ex. Apple for a company that makes computers and tech
Suggestive marks (trademark)
a mark that implies a connection between a company and a product
Ex. Dairy Queen (dairy suggests milk / ice cream, etc.)
Generic (trademark) - not automatically protected
generic terms like “aspirin” or “escalator”
Descriptive (trademark) - not automatically protected
describes the exact product the company is providing
Ex. Calvin Klein
Collective Mark
Credits on movies
Service Mark
A mark used in the sale or the advertising of services, such as to distinguish the services of one person from the services of others (airlines)
Remedies for Dilution
injunction (cease and desist) or damages when proven willful intent
Trademark Registration
Can only register if it’s currently in commerce, or if it will be in commerce within 6 months
Federal Trademark Dilution Act (Lanham Act)
suit in Federal court for trademark dilution
Trademark Dilution
confusing the association (making it less distinctive)
Ex. creating a hotdog company that’s logo is similar, but not the same to Nike’s swoosh DILUTING it’s distinctiveness in commerce
Trademark Infringement
use of a distinctive mark that was not authorized
Ex. Using the Nike swoosh on your shoe company (CREATING CONFUSION)
Remedies for Infringement
injunction, lost profits, destruction of infringed goods
Patents
Gives inventor exclusive rights to make, use, or sell their inventions for 20 years
What is NOT patentable?
laws of nature, natural phenomena, or abstract ideas
Patent Infringement
the make, use, or selling of another patented design without the owner’s permission
Remedies for Patent Infringement
injunction, lost profits
Copyrights
Intangible property (books, music, other literary works)
How long does a copyright last?
Life of the author + 70 years
What do copyrights protect?
reproduction of work or derivative work
distribution of work
public display of work
What can and cannot be copyrighted?
an idea, procedure, or method of operation CANNOT be copyrighted Ex. page numbers)
the way in which an idea is expressed CAN be copyrighted Ex. finding the same location, using the same camera as a famous photographer
Remedies for Copyright Infringement
damages, injunction
Trade Secrets
protects businesses and information that cannot be copyrighted or trademarked (customer list, R&D, etc.)
Punishments of Trade Secrets
tort action (civil suit) - HAS TO BE DISCOVERED BY IMPROPER SECRET
What is a contract?
an agreement (promise) between parties creating mutual obligation enforceable by law
What rules govern contracts?
Common law EXCEPT when replaced by statutory law
Common law ruling vs. UCC rulings
contracts, real estate, employment, and insurance vs. sales of tangible goods
4 Requirements for a valid contract
- Agreement - OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE
- Consideration - both parties have to give something of legal value
- Contractual Capacity - someone who is not a minor, and is of mental competency
- Legality -
Mirror image rule
Offer mirrors acceptance
Bargained for exchange (consideration)
both parties are giving something up
Predominant factor test
test that courts use to determine whether a contract is primarily for the sale of goods or for the sale of services
Usury
Lending money at an unreasonable or unfair interest rate
Procedural law
establishes the rules of the court system, how the court operates, and the procedures used to protect the rights of individuals
Substantive law
laws that define the rights, duties, and obligations of people and entities within a society, and how they should behave
Bilateral contract
promise for a promise
Ex. I will sell you my bike for $500 (promise to sell, promise to pay)
Unilateral contract
promise for an act - can only be accepted if there is completion of a performance
Ex. I will give you $100 if stop smoking for 6 months
Formal contracts
contracts that require a specific form
Informal contracts
oral or written contracts
Statute of Frauds (common law)
When a contract must be in writing to be enforceable:
- real estate
- sales of goods at $500 or more
- performance that will take more than a year to complete
- promises made in consideration of marriage
Performance and Discharge of a Contract
- complete performance
- substantial performance (complied with in good faith, most of the requirements of the contract)
- material breach (nonperformance)
- anticipatory repudiation (notice that one party will not complete the contract)
Mutual Recission
both parties agree to cancel the contract
Accord and Satisfaction
acceptance of something different than the original contract
ACCORD: contract to perform some duty
SATISFACTION: performance of an agreement
Settlement
replacing the old agreement with a new contract
Requirements of Termination by Operation of Law (beyond the control of either party)
- Materially altering a written contract without consent of the other party
- Statute of limitations: the time you have to sue if there’s a breach
- bankruptcy
- impossibility of performance
Novation
both parties agree to substitute a third party for one of the original parties
Damages for Contracts
Compensatory: compensating you to be in the same position that you would have been in if the breach didn’t occur
Specific Performance: requirement to carry out what you were contracted to do
Consequential: covers indirect and foreseeable losses
Punitive: punishment
Nominal: recognizing the wrongdoing when there’s no monetary loss shown
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)
Deals with tangible and movable goods»_space; All 50 states have adopted 2 (sale) and 2A (lease) - STATE LAW
Supersedes the common law
What is NOT covered by the UCC?
Real estate
Service contracts (NOT a tangible good)
Intangible property (stocks and bonds)
What is a sale defined by the UCC?
Passing of title from seller to buyer for a price
Merchant
A person who sells goods of a specific kind - has the special knowledge or skill
Selling a lot of one item, not just a one time item
Open Terms
Terms that can be filled in by the court later if their is a dispute with the contract
Do you need to have a contract under the UCC?
No but:
- Parties have to have the intention to contract
- Quantity has been established
- Reasonably certain basis