Broadly defined, law is a body of rules established and enforced by a controlling authority, and thus, is not limited to law enacted and enforced by governments.  Businesses, families, religions, schools, civic organizations and clubs all impose rules (or “laws”) on their members – and punish those who violate those rules.

To help you better understand the concept of law, this module will introduce you to the functions and sources of law used in the American legal system, the difference between civil and criminal law, the system of precedent used by the courts in resolving disputes, and the FIRAC system used by lawyers to critically analyze and “solve” legal issues and problems.

As you read the materials and watch the videos in this module, consider these questions as a guide to help you determine whether you understand each topic.  You can later return to these questions to help you review for any quizzes or tests over this content.