[POLS 245] - Final Exam Guide - Everything you need to know! (28 pages long)

• School: Cal Poly
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POLS 245
• Professor: Jennifer Denbow

Document Summary

Set of rules instituted by a government to promote order. Foundation of society that holds people accountable for their actions. Holds citizens accountable by created consequences for certain actions. Three aspects of law: law making, interpretation, enforcement. Blackstone: common law and the nature of law. He wrote commentary on the laws of england: to understand you have to know the legal system: Precedent: previous judicial decisions dictate future decisions: when judges make decisions, they use earlier cases to determine their decision. Supposed to create consistency and maintain power. Lawyers play a central role (compared to civil: more is at stake with the judge so this is caused. Otherwise there would be chaos/lack of order. Protect rights & in order to get rights, we give some up. Social contract: when each side gives up something to get something. In exchange for protection of rights and security, you submit to the law and recognize its authority.