14th Amendment (reconstructed amendment) - Declares that all persons born in the U.S. are citizens
and are guaranteed equal protection of the laws
15th Amendment (reconstructed amendment) - Citizens cannot be denied the right to vote because of
race, color , or precious condition of servitude
,Dred Scott Decision - A Missouri slave sued for his freedom, claiming that his four year stay in the
northern portion of the Louisiana Territory made free land by the Missouri Compromise had made him a
free man. The U.S, Supreme Court decided he couldn't sue in federal court because he was property, not
a citizen.
Plessy v. Ferguson - a 1896 Supreme Court decision which legalized state ordered segregation so long as
the facilities for blacks and whites were equal
Brown v. Board of Education - 1954 - The Supreme Court overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, declared that
racially segregated facilities are inherently unequal and ordered all public schools desegregated.
Loving v. Virginia - 1867 court case that declared all laws against interracial marriage unconstitutional
Civil Law - -Wrongful action against individuals or groups. Aggrieved parties may have grounds for
lawsuits
-Remedies are generally compensatory
-Standard of Proof: Preponderance of Evidence
Criminal Law - -Crimes are defined by legislatures and persons who commit a crime are deemed as
having committing a wrong against society, not just the individual victim. Only the government may
prosecute for crimes
-Focus of remedies are general punitive
-Standard of proof: beyond a reasonable doubt
Most crimes are defined by: - states
Federal crimes tend to be aimed at - Higher offenses examples: organized crime, public corruption,
espionage etc
Some crimes may be both - state and federal crimes
example: boston bomber
, White collar crime - defined by FBI as "a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social
status in the course of his occupation"
-Generally non-violent financial crimes
To commit a crome one must have ________ and engage in _________ - Mens Rea, Actus Rea
Mens Rea - "Guilty mind"
- is the mental element of a person's intention to commit a crime; or knowledge that one's action or lack
of action would cause a crime to be committed.
-*determines the level of culpability
Example of purpose - Allen sets fire to Ben's house to kill Ben
Example of knowingly - Ben sets fire to Ben's house to destroy some incriminating documents. No desire
to kill Allen, but Allen is home at the time and dies
Example of Recklessly - Ben twirls around shooting gun knowing others are wishing gunshot range and
could be shot
Example of Negligently - Ben is intree middle of the desert, no expectation anyone else around and fires
gun
Additional level of culpability: Strict Liability - the legal responsibility for damages or injury, even if the
person found strictly liable was not at fault. In order to prove strict liability in tort, plaintiff needs to
prove only that the tort happened and that the defendant was responsible for the act or omission
Additional level of culpability: Conspiracy - Intent and act in furtherance
Actus Reas means: - guilty act
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