Catalog Course Search Details

 Department:    POLS

 Course #:    200

 Credits:    5

 Variable:     No

 IUs:    5

 CIP:    451001

 EPC:    n/a

 REV:    2024

 Course Description  

Introduction to the origins, development, structure, institutions and processes of the US legal system. Topics include law as a system of social thought and behavior; law as a framework for the resolution of conflicting claims; legal reasoning; law as a process for protecting and facilitating voluntary interactions and fundamental rights in a business society; legal terminology, civil and criminal procedures, legal rights and remedies, torts, contracts, criminal law, and property. Required for all business students transferring to the UW School of Business; recommended for any student interested in a career in law, law enforcement or related.

 Prerequisite  

Prerequisite: ENGL 099 with a "C" or higher (or placement into ENGL& 101).

Contact Hours (based on 11 week quarter)

Lecture: 55

Lab: 0

Other: 0

Systems: 0

Clinical: 0

Intent: Distribution Requirement(s) Status:  

Academic Social Sciences  

Equivalencies At Other Institutions

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the student will be able to:

1. Foundations of the US legal system
2. Legal terminology
3. Fundamentals of legal reasoning
4. Case briefing
5. Legal terminology
6. Fundamentals of criminal law and procedure
7. Fundamentals of civil law, procedure and litigation
8. Fundamentals of contract law
9. Fundamentals of torts
10. Fundamentals of comparative law
11. Fundamentals of legal rights and remedies
12. Structure and functions of US court systems

General Education Learning Values & Outcomes

Revised August 2008 and affects outlines for 2008 year 1 and later.

Course Contents

1. Introduction
   • What is law
   • The place of law in society
   • The evolution of law
   • Sources of law
   • Written and unwritten law
2. Law in the United States
   • Structure of the courts
   • The court as a check on legislation
   • The court as a check on the executive
   • Judicial review
3. Court Procedures
   • Criminal v/s civil proceedings
   • Procedure prior to trial
   • Trial
   • Enforcement
4. Torts
   • Torts v/s crimes
   • Personal wrongs
   • Property wrongs
   • Negligence
   • Business wrongs
5. Crimes
   • Nature
   • Defenses
   • Types
6. Contracts
   • Nature and kinds
   • Offer and acceptance
   • Reality of assent
   • Consideration
   • Legality of contracts
   • Capacity of parties
   • Formality of contracts
   • Transfer and assignment of contractual rights
   • Discharge of contracts and remedies