law and society test 1 Flashcards
What are norms?
the codes of behavior that govern the way we interact
What are the three types of norms?
folkways, mores, laws
What is the most serious type of law to least serious?
laws, mores, folkways
What are folkways?
simple everyday norms that are based on things like custom, tradition, or etiquette.
What are mores?
norms based on the morals of society.
What are laws?
rules of conduct enacted and enforced by a government
Why do we need laws? 3 reasons
1- Social Control
2- Dispute settlement
3- To bring about or force social change
What is the earliest written law?
Hammurabi
When was Hammurabi written?
2100 BC
What does Hammurabi consist of?
282 laws and punishments
Who came up with the social contract?
Thomas Hobbes
What is the social contract?
Society agrees to be governed by its general will
What connection was Durkheim interested in?
the connection between law and society
What was Durkheim’s beliefs on punishment?
We need more laws but less severe punishments because we don’t have that strong of a collective conscience.
What is our legal system based on?
English common law
When was English common law in Britain?
1100 AD
What was English common law?
A legal system based on custom and court rulings
Every time a judge makes a new ruling, what are they setting?
a new precedent
What is precedent?
rulings that have already been made
What is precedent?
rulings that have already been made
What do judges follow?
precedent
What does stare decisis mean?
let the decision stand
What does stare decision essentially mean?
unless there is a good reason to change the way things have been done, you should follow precedent
What is the legal principle being precedent?
stare decisis
What is the type of legal system we have in the US?
statutory law
What is statutory law?
we have statues- our laws are passed by legislatures at all different levels
Can state laws conflict with federal?
no
Can local laws conflict with state laws?
no
What are moral crusaders?
A campaign centered around a social movement or organization and concerned with a symbolic or moral issue such as alcohol or pornography
How many amendments are in the bill of rights?
10