American Law: A Brief View of What It Is & What It Isn't (#2010)

By popular demand, a return engagement. Most Americans’ experiences with the law are either from a family (meaning divorce) matter or from cartoons or bad lawyer jokes that usually end with the injury or death to the lawyer (‘What do you call a four-seat sedan with three lawyers riding in it as it goes off a cliff into the sea? Answer: Wasted space.’ ) Local media updates on current criminal cases titillate the masses for either revenge or confusion. Maybe your real estate deal that went badly involved the law or lawyers. Current cell phone, internet, cable TV contracts confound and confuse us all while our laws are being ignored or broken by ‘adhesions’ contracts. Most of our personal experience with the law is usually negative. But it’s all part of a society based on the ‘Rule of Law.’ What does the ‘Rule of Law’ mean? And how do cable companies and others get around it? What is ‘jurisdiction’ or a ‘venue?’ How do judges judge? What’s a statute or a case law? Why are there different courts, such as: city, county, state, and federal, military? What’s a criminal case vs. a civil case? The difference between a tort and a tart? Is the IRS above the law? Why and what is administrative law? This presentation provides an informative but light-hearted survey of our American law as practiced today. It includes an introduction of the basic history, terms, procedures, and organization of American law. Included are plenty of lawyer cartoons and lawyer jokes. Bring some of your own to exchange. If you can’t take the jokes, don’t be a lawyer. Presented by: an old lawyer.