Introduction to Law in the U.S. (for most non-lawyers)

Law is a mystery to many, yet we are surrounded by it everywhere 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 and our legal system. Just like we all need to know a little about health and how our body works, and all drivers need to know something about cars and how they work.

Law is not just for lawyers. It needs to be for everyone in a nation of laws. So let me share some knowledge of law with you.

This course is not for everyone! It is academic type lectures, using my PowerPoint slides, no fancy graphics, no fancy video editing. It is not entertainment and you will need a ten minute attention span. Take your personal preferences into consideration and see a few sample videos before you decide if this is right for you. If you have a problem or need something, message me. I think some basic legal knowledge and reliable information should be available for all, and this is my way of putting that out there. But again, this course is law lectures, not entertainment.

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. All of us should understand and appreciate legal fundamentals. That way, we can make good decisions on legal issues and when carrying out our duties of citizenship in the U.S.

We face legal issues all the time, and even if we hire an attorney we need to understand that attorney's advice to make a good choice.

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.

This was my first Udemy course to bring important information about law to you. We walk through it, one module at a time, trying to compress the most important parts of each topic into short segments. Additional free resources are available.

I initially titled this "Introduction to Law in the U.S. (for every non-lawyer)" but quickly realized this is not for everyone. That's OK, each to their own. So instead I now say it is for "most" non-lawyers.

Building these courses is a hobby for me, I do not have significant video recording skills, nor hardly any video editing skills, and there is no production team. It's slide and lectures. This course has no editing, so you will hear my pauses and misspeaks, warts and all.

Now the legal disclaimer (no description on a law course would be complete without it). 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.