Introduction to Law in the U.S. (for every non-lawyer)

Course details

For many law is a mystery. Yet we are surrounded by law on a daily basis and we make legal decisions regularly. Sometimes these decisions have profound effects on our personal or professional lives.

We all need to know a little about law, just like we all need to know a little about health, and all drivers need to know a little about cars.

So let's learn more about law together.

We explore the origins of law and why we need rules in society, hopefully a fair system for creating rules and then enforcing them. The United States has a unique foundation that starts with the U.S. Constitution and our system of government. We have a process to create laws and resolve disputes, and may areas of law (see below).

We are a nation of laws and thus a basic understanding is critical for everyone - every citizen and every resident. Citizens participate in our government and legal system by voting and serving on juries.

Lawyers serve an important role in society, but should not be the only people who understand law. Comprehension and appreciation of legal fundamentals is for all of us. Then, when we make decisions or need to hire an attorney or act on that lawyer's advice, our decision making is improved.

In this course, we will explore:

• The origin of rules and laws in society

• The U.S. Constitution and Amendments (including Bill of Rights)

• Criminal law and procedure

• Civil law and procedure overview

• Negligence law and torts

• Intentional torts

• Contract law

• Privacy, cybersecurity, and data law

• Virtual currency and cryptocurrency law (COMING SOMEDAY)

• Intellectual property law

• Business law basics

• Law of warfare and international conflict

• Some legal concepts and terms

• Briefing (reading) a case

• Fun movie and TV clips

• Where to learn more about law

• Finding and working with a lawyer

This course provides a brief and informative overview, and also points you to free resources for your additional reading and reference.

I am excited to have created my first Udemy course to bring this important knowledge to you, and will walk you through it, one module at a time, trying to compress the most important parts of each topic into short segments.

Basic legal knowledge can and should be available for all.

No description on a law course would be complete without a legal disclaimer, so here it is. None of this is legal advice, nor is it tailored to your circumstances, nor is any attorney-client relationship formed by taking this course. I will gladly answer general questions. My hope is this course helps students with their personal and professional lives as they face legal issues, hear about them in the news, and play their role in our country, a nation of laws.