Course: BLW 330 - Personal Law
Catalog Description:
The legal rights and responsibilities of business persons and consumers with respect to estate planning, wills and probate, general criminal and civil responsibilities and liabilities, family relationships, motor vehicles, real property, employment, consumer transactions, electronic media, and small businesses.
Prerequisite: Junior standing
Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this course, the student should be
able to:
1. Understand the structure of the American legal system, including the structure of the court system and the relationship between attorney and client.
2. Analyze and understand the interaction between governmental power and individual rights.
3. Distinguish the difference between criminal wrongs and civil wrongs, and their effect on business and personal decisions.
4. Understand basic contract law (responsibilities and liabilities), including credit transactions and the borrowing of money.
5. Identify and distinguish between real and personal property, including the responsibilities and liabilities of renting and owning a residence.
6. Understand governmental regulation of insurance, automobile ownership and use of the Internet.
7. Identify important legal issues in the relationship between employer and employee.
8. Analyze and understand the impact of law on the family
relationship, including laws related to marriage and the parent-child
relationship.
Topics/Components:
The instructor is required to present material relevant to the topics set forth below regarding the Personal Law course:
I. The American Legal System
A. Law and the Legal System
B. The Courts and Dispute Resolution
C. The Legal Profession
II. Power, Rights and Wrongs
A. Governmental Power
B. Individual Rights
C. Criminal Wrongs
D. Civil Wrongs
III. Making Contracts
A. Introduction to Contracts
B. Enforcing Contracts
C. Borrowing Money
D. Paying by Check
IV. Business Relationships
A. Agency Relationships
B. Getting a Job
C. Starting a Business
V. Rights in Property
A. Introduction to Property
B. Buying a Home
C. Renting an Apartment
VI. Family Relationships
A. Marriage and Cohabitation
B. Parenthood
C. Divorce and Family
VII. Regulatory Issues
A. Buying Insurance
B. Driving a Car
C. Law and the Internet
Other legal topics may be covered at the discretion of
individual faculty members.
Textbook:
Richards, Eric L. Personal Law. 1st edition. West/ITP Publishing.
Evaluation:
The instructor evaluates students based upon responses to written examinations, with an average of four (4) examinations per semester.
Additional factors may be required by individual faculty, including reading assigned material and preparing homework outside of class.