Deck 1: Legal Heritage and the Digital Age

Question 1

Halfren, a county in the state of Halizona, is earthquake-prone. The governor of Halizona sets up a committee to explore the possible methods that could be used to minimize damage and loss of life. The committee found that a new technique of using steel reinforcements in building columns would help reduce overall damages. The findings were put to a debate at the local town hall, where it was accepted by a majority of the residents. The state government then passed a law making it mandatory to use the new technique while constructing new buildings in Halfren. Which of the following functions of the law did the state government of Halizona exhibit in this case?

A) promoting social justice
B) maximizing individual freedom
C) shaping moral standards
D) facilitating orderly change

Answer 1

facilitating orderly change

Question 2

The City of Hilbert is considering rezoning a part of its downtown so Flatlands University can build a satellite campus there. In accordance with local ordinance, the City Council will first conduct public hearings, then debate the proposed rezoning ordinance during one its regular meetings, and finally vote on the proposed rezoning ordinance at its regular meetings. This would be an example of which function of the law?

A) keeping the peace
B) providing a basis for compromise
C) maintaining the status quo
D) facilitating orderly change

Answer 2

facilitating orderly change

Question 3

When deciding in which state to start their new business, the founders of Telstar Autos decided to set up shop in the State of Indillowa due to its well-designed commercial laws that allow businesses to plan their activities, allocate their productive resources, and assess the risks they take. This would be an example of the facilitating planning function of the law.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

In the United States, law evolves and changes along with several other factors. Which one of the following is NOT generally considered one of these factors?

A) the norms of society
B) technology
C) total take-home pay
D) the growth and expansion of commerce in the United States and the world

Question 5

The ________ School of jurisprudence states that promoting market efficiency should be the central goal of legal decision making.

A) Historical
B) Natural Law
C) Sociological
D) Law and Economics

Question 6

Compare the basic tenets of the Law and Economics School of jurisprudential thought with the basic tenets of the Critical Legal Studies School of jurisprudential thought.

Question 7

Owing to some unfair results and limited remedies available in the law courts, chancery/equity courts were established.

Question 8

The ________ branch of the government has the power to enact laws.

A) legislative
B) executive
C) judicial
D) administrative

Question 9

The ________ is the legislative branch of the U.S. government and has the power to enact the law.

A) Congress
B) General Assembly
C) Duma
D) Security Council

Question 10

Must all federal and state courts in the United States follow the precedents established by U.S. Supreme Court decisions?

A) federal courts must, but state courts do not have to
B) state courts must, but federal courts do not have to
C) yes, both do
D) no, neither do

Question 11

Which of these is NOT a consequence of the doctrine of stare decisis?

A) uniformity of law within a jurisdiction is promoted
B) court systems become less efficient
C) the law becomes more predictable for individuals
D) the law becomes more predictable for businesses

Question 12

Due to the doctrine of stare decisis, a court may never overrule precedent.

Question 13

How have courts responded to the fact that the information age arrived before new laws unique and specific to this environment were written?

A) by enacting new statutes that address this new environment
B) by applying existing laws to the new digital and technological environment through interpretation and application
C) by refusing to accept cases involving computers and other electronic devices
D) by creating administrative agencies to adopt rules and regulations for the new digital and technological environment

Question 14

How has the U.S. Congress responded to the arrival of the information age?

A) by referring such matters to the courts, asking them to address this new environment
B) by applying existing laws to the new digital and technological environment through interpretation and application
C) by leading the way, enacting many new federal statutes to regulate the new digital and technological environment
D) by leaving it to local governments to enact ordinances addressing computers and electronic devices

Question 15

Critical legal thinking consists of performing certain activities with information in order to solve legal issues or cases. Which of these is NOT one of those activities?

A) investigating
B) analyzing
C) manipulating
D) evaluating

Question 16

Which of these is NOT a component of the intellectually disciplined thinking required of critical legal thinking?

A) recognizing and identifying problems
B) engaging in logical inquiry and reasoning
C) ignoring alternative perspectives
D) evaluating information and appraising evidence

Question 17

Which of these is NOT a component of the intellectually disciplined thinking required of critical legal thinking?

A) considering alternative perspectives
B) adopting popular assumptions
C) identifying unjustified inferences and irrelevant information
D) assessing one's own thinking and conclusions

Question 18

Professor Kinsgford uses the Socratic method when discussing a case in his law classes. This means that Professor Kingsford does what with his students?

A) gives them weekly writing assignments on all cases he has discussed in class
B) conducts lectures utilizing the Socrates software system for audio-visual presentations
C) has the students perform mock trials of the cases in the classroom
D) asks students questions about a case or legal issue to stimulate critical thinking by the students

Question 19

Once the facts, law, and legal issue of a case have been stated, critical thinking must be used in applying the law to the facts of the case. This requires the decision maker to analyze, examine, evaluate, interpret, and apply the law to the facts of the case. At this point, the decision maker must do what?

A) reach a conclusion and state his or her judgment
B) refer the case to a higher authority
C) consider additional matters so as to lead to a more popular conclusion
D) consider irrelevant laws that might lead to an opposite conclusion

Question 20

The acronym "IRAC" stands for ________.

A) independence, reporting, analysis, and capture
B) initial, repetition, answering, and cooperation
C) issue, rule, application, and conclusion
D) inquiry, recognition, ambiguity, and captioning

Question 21

Why is it that the nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court often issue non-unanimous decisions?

Question 22

Why is applying critical legal thinking significant in law courses?

Question 23

A Legal Environment of Business course is only relevant to a student's future career if the student is planning on pursuing a profession in law.

Question 24

Communication, critical thinking, collaboration, knowledge application and analysis, business ethics and social responsibility, and information technology application are key to a successful career today.