Course Syllabus – Business Law

Course Description:

The objective of the class is to give the students understanding of the court system at the local, state, and national level. Students will also gain an understanding of contract law, their rights and responsibilities as citizens, utilization of financial transactions, employment and agency relationships, and regulations governing different types of business organizations.  Students will be assigned daily work including vocabulary, court cases, and general questions on the material.  We will test at the end of every chapter with a semester test to be taken at the end of the semester.  Students will be responsible for assignments the day after they are assigned with the exception of sickness.  Notes will be provided if the student is gone for the days of notes.

Topics Covered:        Court Systems, Sources of Law, Criminal Law, Tort Law, Contract Law, Consumer Law, Employment Law

Prerequisites:             None

Length:                       Semester Course - 50-minute period

Instructional Philosophy: 

Teachers will use a variety of learning strategies focusing on problem-solving, critical thinking, and student engagement.  Students will be expected to meet the course standards by demonstrating their understanding of the basic concepts of each topic area.  Students will be expected to complete all assignments with high quality effort.  Discussion of all material will be completed before assignments are given.  Most classroom problems will be completed together, with some of work completed on their own.  Timelines will be given on when work is to be completed.  Assessment will be daily work, quizzes, and tests over every chapter with a semester test at the end of each semester.   

Core Technical Standards:

BL.1.1 Compare and contrast the difference between ethics and the law and identity consequences of unethical and illegal conduct.

BL.1.2 Analyze the origin of today’s law and the role and function of the local, state and federal court systems.

BL.1.3 Distinguish between procedural law and substantive law.

BL.2.1 Differentiate among the categories of criminal law, the different types of business crimes, and the available penalties.

BL.2.2 Differentiate among the categories of tort law and describe the remedies available.

BL.3.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of the contractual relationship and identify the elements of a valid contract.

BL.3.2 Illustrate the methods by which a contract may be terminated or discharged.

BL.3.3 Compare and contrast law of sales and consumer laws.

BL.4.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of the employer-employee relationship, including independent contractors.

BL.4.2 Identify the employee rights.

Instructional Delivery Plan:

Delivery Method:  Instruction will consist of activities and projects, presentations, group work, lecture, discussion, reading, writing, self-assessment, and the use of technology.   Cases will be incorporated into the course.

Student Work:  Students will work independently on tests, quizzes, and performance task.  Student can work independently or in teams on discussion, projects, and presentations of the projects. 

Community Involvement:  Guest speakers from law offices and the legal community, if available, will be brought in throughout the course.   Trips to courts may be incorporated into the course.  Students will also use community resources to complete cases and group projects.

Grading Scale:

Grading Distribution:

Students will be graded based on total points.  Distribution will be as followed (approximate):

Chapter Descriptions:

Book-Law for Business and Personal Use-SouthWestern

Unit 1-Chapters 1-6-Law, Justice, and You

Court system, laws, ethics, Constitutional rights

Chapter 1- Our Laws and Legal System, Types of Laws

Objectives- Stages in the growth of law, Common Law vs. Positive Law, English Common Law, Constitutions, Statutes, Case Law, Criminal vs. Civil Law, Procedural vs. Substantive Law

Chapter 2-Ethics in Our Law, Reasoning about right or wrong, Ethics related to law

Objectives- Reasoned decisions, Impartiality, Business ethics, Ethical reasoning based on consequences, Fundamental ethical rules, avoiding punishment

Chapter 3-Constituional Rights, Amendments, Balance of power

Objectives- The Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, The Bill of Rights, Civil Rights, Due Process, Peripheral Rights, Other amendments, Branches of Government, Changing the constitution, Our form of government, Powers of the federal government

Chapter 4- The Court System, Dispute resolution and the courts, Federal Court System, State Court Systems

Objectives- Levels of courts, Federal courts, U.S. Supreme Court, State Court system, Probate courts

Chapter 5- Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure

Objectives- Elements of a crime, Criminal conduct, Felony, Misdemeanor, Rights when arrested, Procedural and substantive defenses

Chapter 6- Personal Injury Laws, Offenses against individuals, intentional torts, negligence, strict liability, civil procedure

Objectives- crimes vs. torts, Common intentional torts, Negligence, strict liability, Collection for a tort victim, Civil case tried

Unit 2-Chapters 7-14-Fundamentals of Contracts

Offer and Acceptance, Legality of Contracts, Written Contracts, Duties

Chapter 7- Offer and Acceptance, creation of offers, termination of offers, acceptances

Objectives- Contracts and requirements, Intent to create a legal obligation, complete and clear and communicated, Revocation , time stated in offer, reasonable length of time, rejection, counteroffer, Death of insanity, options, firm offer, Acceptance, unilateral and bilateral contracts

Chapter 8- Genuine Agreement, duress and undue influence, mistake, misrepresentation, and fraud

Objectives- Genuine agreement and rescission, Undue influence, relationship and unfair influence, recognized and induced unilateral mistakes, Mistake of subject matter and law, Untrue statement of fact, misrepresentation (intentional, reckless, concealment), Remedies for fraud

Chapter 9- Mutual consideration, Legal Value, Consideration not required

Objectives- Act, Forbearance, Promise, Legal Value, Adequacy, nominal consideration, Illusory Promises, existing duty, Mutual gifts, Past performance, Statute of limitations, Uniform Commercial Code

Chapter 10- Capacity Rights, Limitations on capacity rights

Objectives- Capacity rights, Minors, emancipation, Mental incapacity, intoxication, disaffirmed, Misrepresenting your age

Chapter 11- Legality of Contracts, enforceability of of illegal agreements

Objectives- Gambling, maximum rate of interest, agreements that obstruct legal procedures, Agreements that affect marriage negatively, price fixing, resale price maintenance, common law, restitution, UCC

Chapter 12- Written Contracts, Statutes of Fraud, Interpretation of Contracts

Objectives-Perjury, Statute of frauds, executed contracts, executory contracts, Multiple writings, Content requirements of contracts, Contract for sale over $500, Contract to sell an interest in real property, Contracts more than one year to complete, Contract for which the consideration is marriage, Parol evidence rule

Chapter 13 - Contractual Duties - Performance of Duties, Transfer of Contractual Obligations

Objectives-Assignable Rights, Non-assignable Rights, Contractual duties, delegation of duties, Obligor's breach and Liability, Discharge, Breach of Contract, Cancellation, rescission, accord and satisfaction, Substitution, novation, impossibility of performance, Alteration, Legal tender

Chapter 14- Breach of Contract, Denial of Remedies for Breach of Contract

Objectives-Remedy, Restitution, Money damages, Subject Matter Unique, Waiver, Statute of Limitations, Bankruptcy

Unit 3-Chapters 15-18-Sales and Other Contractual Situations, Sales Contracts, Ownership and Risk, Consumer Protection, Marriage

Chapter 15- Sales Contracts, Sales, Ownership, Special Rule For Sales Contracts

Objectives-Sale of Goods under the UCC, Contracts for Personal Services, Bill of Sale, Unconscionable, Ownership, Transfer of Ownership and Possession, Statute of Frauds with sales contracts, Goods received and accepted, Buyer pays for goods and seller accepts payment,

Chapter 16 - Ownership transfer, Risk of Loss and Insurable Interest

Objectives-Authorized Persons, Buyers in a sale induced by fraud, Holders of Negotiable Documents of title, Merchants With Possession of sold goods, Seller delivers goods to their destination, Seller delivers document of title, Buyer takes possession at place of sale, Seller ships goods by carrier CIF, Goods held by bailee, Cash and Carry Sales, Sales on Credit, COD, Sale or Return, Sale on Approval, Auction, Bulk Transfer

Chapter 17-Consumer Protection, Federal protection, Product Liability, Warranties

Objectives-Consumer, Caveat emptor, class actions, cease-and-desist, restitution, Safety Standards, Unfair trade practices, False and misleading advertising, Lotteries and confidence games, bait and switch, Unfair pricing and service, mislabeled goods, Used articles sold as new, FTC Guidelines, Caveat venditor, Licensing laws, Remedies available to injured consumers, Privity of contract, Recovering damages, express and implied warranties, Puffing, Implied warranties, Warranties implied by law, Exclusion of warranties

Chapter 18-Legal consideration in divorce and marriage

Objectives-Marriage, State Marriage requirements, Common-law marriages, Marital consortium, Parenthood rights and responsibilities, Prenutial agreement, Ending marriages legally, Void marriage and voidable marriages, Anulment, Bigamist, No-fault divorce, Separation, Child custody and support, Alimony

Unit 4-Chapters 19-24-Property

Chapter 19-Classes of Property, Acquiring property, and forms of ownership

Objectives - Real and personal Property, Copyrights and Trademarks, Patents, Acquiring ownership by gifts, accession, Occupancy, inheritance, finding, Ownership and Co-Ownership

Chapter 20- Bailment Relations, Duties in Bailments, Common Bailments

Chapter 21 - Real Property, Nature and Transfer of Ownership, Other right in your land

Surface Rights, Right to Air Space, Mineral Rights, Water Rights, Attachment, Adaption, Intention, Fee Simple Absolute, Conditional Estates, Life Estates, Deed, Nonfreehold estates, Inheritance, Adverse Possession, Dedication or Eminent Domain, Licenses, Easements, Restrictive Coventants, Zoning Ordinances, Invalid zoning, Spot Zoning, Trespassers, Licensee, Invitee

Chapter 22 - Renting Realty, types of leases, Tenant's Duties and rights, Landlord's Rights and Duties

Objectives- What is a lease, Periodic Tenancy, Tenancy for years, Sufferance, Will, Right of Possession, Right to use the property, Right to assign the lease or to sublet, Duty to pay rent, Duty to take care of property, Torts duty, Right to the rent, Right to regain the realty and fixtures, Duty to maintain the premises, Torts duty, Duty to pay property taxes, Fair Housing Acts Duties, Duty to Voluntary Termination

Chapter 23 - Insuring Your Future, Insurance and How it works, Property and casualty coverage, Life and social insurance

Objectives-Basic Insurance Terms, Life, Fire, Casualty, Social, Marine, Inland Marine, Fidelity and Surety Bonding Insurance, Insurable Interest, Liability Insurance, Automobile Insurance, Collision Insurance, Collision and Comprehensive Insurance, Uninsured and underinsured motorists, No-Fault Insurance, Health Insurance, deductibles, claims, Dependants, Types of coverages

Chapter 24 - Wills, Estates, and Trusts, Legal Consequences of Death

Objectives-Death and the Law, Death with a will and without a will, People involved with a will, Amendments to wills, Types of wills, Revocation of a will, Procedure for estate resolution, Distributions without a will, No inheritors, Creation of trusts, Types of trusts

Unit 5-Chapters 25-30-The Law of Jobs

Chapter 25 - Creation of Agency

Objectives-Agency Relationship, Principal's capacity, Expressed and implied grant of authority, Power of attorney

Chapter 26 - Operation of Agency

Objectives-Agent's Duties, Liabilities in agency, How agent terminated

Chapter 27- Employment Contracts, Creation of employment contracts, Employer's basic duties, Termination of employment contracts

Objectives-People involved with employment contracts, Independent contractors, Express and implied agreements, Employee duties, Employer's duties to employees, Fair Labor Standards, Duties to minors, Military service and voting, Employer's duty to those injured by employees, Types of employment contracts, Unemployment Compensation

Chapter 28 - Unions

Objectives-History of Labor Laws, State and federal regulation on employment, Establishing unions, Union certification, collective bargaining, Unfair practices, Strikes, boycotts

Chapter 29 - Employment Discrimination - Illegal Employment Discrimination, Proving Illegal Discrimination, Specific Laws Making Unjustified Discrimination Illegal

Objectives- Unjustified Discrimination, Types of Unjustified Discrimination, The Scope of Protection, How Can Unequal Treatment be Proved, What is Disparate Impact, Proving Pattern and Practice of Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Legislation Prohibiting Discrimination

Chapter 30 - Employee Injuries

Objectives-Job safety, recovering from negligence, Worker's compensation, injuries covered and not covered, OSHA

Unit 6-Chapters 31-34-Forms of Business Organization

Chapter 31 - Forms of Business Organizations (Covered in General Business)

Chapter 32 - Creating, Running, and Terminating a Corporation (Covered in General Business)

Chapter 33 - Forms of Organization for Small Business

Objectives-Basics of Limited Partnership, S Corporations, LLC's, LLP's

Chapter 34- Government Regulation of Business

Objectives-Needs of administrative agencies, Agencies and their regulation, Limitations on agency powers

Unit 7-Chapters 35-39-Borrowing Money and Paying Bills

Chapter 35- Commercial Paper, Basic Types, Specialized Forms

Objectives - Defining Commercial paper, Types of Commercial Paper, Drafts, Checks, Notes, CD's, Types of Checks, Money Orders

Chapter 36 - Negotiability and Negotiation of Commercial Paper, Requirements, Proper Endorsement and Negotiation

Objectives - Why negotiation is important and what it is, How commercial paper is transferred, Endorsements, Accommodation party

Chapter 37 - Rights of Holders of Commercial Paper

Objectives-Collection and discharge of commercial paper, Holder in due course, Limited defenses in collection, universal defenses, Rights and duties with EFT

Chapter 38 - Secured and Unsecured Credit Obligations

Objectives - What are debtors and creditors, Secured transactions, Collateral, Repossession, Secured interests, Tangible and intangible property, Terminating secured transactions

Chapter 39 - Debtors, Creditors, and Bankruptcy, Legal Protections of Creditors, Legal Protection of Debtors and Use of Credit Cards, Bankruptcy

Objectives - Laws Protecting Creditors, Laws Protecting Debtors, Special Laws For Credit Cards, What is Bankruptcy, Procedure for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

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