Law

This is a one-semester program designed to help the student understand everyday law. The class will include understanding the law, the difference between juvenile and adult courts and laws, the nature and kinds of law, law enforcement and the courts, crimes, torts, and other law-related areas. This is an area that should be of high interest to the student.

NOTE: Remember I'm posting the agenda to the Google Classroom stream.

171. Wednesday, May 11, 2022: We discussed whether golf courses are liable to those who golf. They are. There is an assumption of risk, but the golf courses have to possess enough of a warning system. Then we discussed the elements of a tort trial. We started to discuss the study guide. Unfortunately, we didn't get through all of it; actually we barely got started. I hope everyone finishes it. CODE: Smiley Golf Center

170. Tuesday, May 10, 2022: We discussed a case related to property rights and uncovered pools and whether we owe a duty to others even if we're not home. We then finished our negligence stories, and started discussing the defenses for intentional torts. I'm not sure how far we'll get, but your test is on Thursday. For tomorrow, please go online and complete the assignment there. Find a negligent tort, and supply the required information. CODE: haystacks

169. Monday, May 9, 2022: We started an activity related to negligence. Everyone got a case from the perspective of the defendant and the plaintiff. We will finish up tomorrow. CODE: negligence

168. Friday, May 6, 2022: We shared our intentional torts (posted to Google Classroom). Several people still need to complete theirs. Then we discussed comparative and compensatory responsibility. There were some quick videos we watched. CODE: who's to blame

167. Thursday, May 5, 2022: We spent most of the class working on our intentional torts article. I didn't plan on it taking that long, but it did. We will continue to share those tomorrow, and then we will move on to negligence and strict liability. CODE: pet ownership

166. Wednesday, May 4, 2022: May the "fourth" be with you! We finished our notes related to Intentional torts. They were part of the packet as well as some additional notes. For tomorrow, please find an example in the news (within a year) of intentional torts. Have the URL ready as you will be posting this information on Google Classroom. CODE: slander

165. Tuesday, May 3, 2022: We reviewed the review questions on torts and then took our quiz. We moved on to intentional torts and got through assault, battery, and false imprisonment. We should be able to finish that up tomorrow. CODE: It's all about the injury!

164. Monday, May 2, 2022: We finished our torts packet, and then I distributed a Tort Review. We will be having a quiz tomorrow over the basic framework of torts. CODE: per see

163. Friday, April 29, 2022: We shared our articles, and some of you need to change your article because you did it about a crime rather than a tort. Then we discussed contracts (offer, acceptance and consideration). We will continue with intentional torts on Monday. CODE: Terms of Use

162. Thursday, April 28, 2022: We had so many "what if" scenarios today. It made me giggle. Class basically boiled down to "If you know about so and so, you can be held accountable." We discussed the differences between an invitee (basically a customer) and a licensee (a guest). It's surprising what you have to think about. Remember anyone you meet is a foreseeable plaintiff. There will be a question where you will answer the question related to your article. Have that done for tomorrow. CODE: trapped in the garage

161. Wednesday, April 27, 2022: We discussed the idea of vaccinations and university requirements. It was ironic that this was the lawsuit that popped up for bell ringers. We then discussed duty of care - professional, land owner, and vehicular. We'll finish this up tomorrow. CODE: zone of danger

160. Tuesday, April 26, 2022: Our bell ringer had a lot to do with insurance and fraud. Then you were to watch our last Forensic Files case - Reel Danger. This is the last one, I promise. We will pick up where we left off yesterday studying torts. Please have an article ready for analysis tomorrow. The agenda is posted to the stream with all the links. CODE: evidence

159. Monday, April 25, 2022: We began our discussion of torts with a bell ringer about duty of care with a store and their parking lot Then we started to compare and contrast a crime and a tort. We discussed various famous torts - the tobacco lawsuit for one. We will continue tomorrow. For tomorrow, find an article that revolves around a lawsuit. CODE: lawsuit

158. Friday, April 22, 2022: I'm sorry that I was gone today. I think I had everything set up for the class to run smoothly. The agenda was posted to your Google Classroom Stream. I had a video for you to watch, and while you were watching, please take notes on the comparison and contrast between criminal and civil law. Also, you had an article on jury responsibilities to summarize. CODE: torts

157. Thursday, April 21, 2022: We tried so hard to get through the movie today, and we had about five minutes left. I don't know if it's worth re-renting the movie to see the final minutes. I'm not sure what we're going to do tomorrow as it seems to make sense to start our new unit on torts. I'll have to see how the night goes! CODE: Innocent!

156. Wednesday, April 20, 2022: I was gone today, but Paul had you watched the next installment of 12 Angry Men. On Google Classroom is an article posted. Please read this article about juries and summarize with the question format. CODE: Senator Grassley

155. Tuesday, April 19, 2022: I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday break. We started by discussing the roles and responsibilities of a jury. Then we began watching 12 Angry Men. During the final scene of today's viewing, we saw Juror #8 take out a switchblade. Any juror who investigates on his/her own jeopardizes the case. It could cause a mistrial. We'll continue to watch this classic movie tomorrow. CODE: "they"

154. Thursday, April 14, 2022: We worked on our legal vocabulary (III) for most of the class period. We'll be all ready for our movie 12 Angry Men. CODE: Easter

153. Wednesday, April 13, 2022: Basically we took our quiz over Criminal Procedures today. Tomorrow we'll finish up with Legal Vocabulary III. CODE: immunity

152. Tuesday, April 12, 2022: We started class with reviewing the main concepts (immunity, substantive, procedural, and justifiable defenses). Then we discussed the punishment stage of the criminal law - sentencing, probation, parole, commuting, and acquital. Then using the study cards I have posted to Google Classroom, we play a few rounds of Quizlet Live. Tomorrow you have a quiz. CODE: t-rexes win!

151. Monday, April 11, 2022: We discussed whether an insurance company can be sued for providing a motive in a murder. We then finished the various defenses. CODE: consent

150. Friday, April 8, 2022: We discussed the idea of acquittal and double jeopardy (bell ringer). Then we reviewed the rest of the legal vocabulary (III). Finally, we tackled those justification defenses. For Monday, find an article that reflects one of the justification defenses used. The article can not be any older than a year. CODE: Defense of others

149. Thursday, April 7, 2022: No class because of ISASPs and NCRC tests.

148. Wednesday, April 6, 2022: We started by discussing justification examples - confessions and the Trayvon Martin cases. Then we reviewed the next the vocabulary words from Legal Vocabulary III. Finally, we started our discussion of justification defenses. CODE: self-defense

147. Tuesday, April 5, 2022: No class due to ISASPs and NCRC tests.

146. Monday, April 4, 2022: We looked at a case related to confession. We reviewed the first five words from Legal Vocabulary III. Then we started our discussion of criminal defenses - specifically intoxication (voluntary or involuntary) as well as infancy. We will tackle justification defenses tomorrow. CODE: means

145. Friday, April 1, 2022: We finished our skeleton notes on criminal procedure. We will start discussing various defenses to crimes on Monday. Have a good weekend. CODE: Swing Show

144. Thursday, March 31, 2022: Today is one of my favorite lessons to teach. It is the story of Ronald Cotton and false eye-witness testimony. We watched the 60 Minutes story that outlines what happened to him. We discussed the negative aspects of eye-witness testimony, while at the same time realizing that it's necessary. We'll continue to discuss criminal procedures tomorrow. CODE: Picking Cotton.

143. Wednesday, March 30, 2022: It was an interesting morning as the internet did not work. Therefore all plans for today were kind of improvised. Rather than going through eye-witness testimony, I reviewed the criminal procedure from arrest to arraignment/plea. We will pick up where we left off tomorrow. CODE: grand jury

142. Tuesday, March 29, 2022: Today we reviewed the elements of a legal and illegal search. We reviewed the seven exceptions to a search or arrest warrant. Then we looked at different scenarios related to those possible searches. Then we compared what we know with France (who allows hearsay and opinion). We will pick up criminal procedure tomorrow. CODE: intent, authority, detention, and understanding (four stages of an arrest)

141. Monday, March 28, 2022: I was gone to All-State, so the agenda (Google Slides) is posted to Google Classroom. The video is there to help you with your make-up work. You will have to complete the Forensics Files - Drowning Sorrows. If you have completed the crossword puzzle, do that. Then try and complete the reverse side as well. CODE: neurons

140. Friday, March 25, 2022: No school per parent-teacher conferences

139. Thursday, March 24, 2022: We watched a video on search and seizures. We then discussed Mapp v. Ohio and Terry v. Ohio. We then went through our packet as it relates to reasonable suspicion versus probable cause versus absolute certainty. CODE: 4th Amendment

138. Wednesday, March 23, 2022: We started our discussion of procedural law - what happens after the crime occurs. We started with a discussion of principals, accomplices, and accessories. Then we started to discuss the difference between mere suspicion to probable cause. CODE: bank robbery

137. Tuesday, March 22, 2022: We reviewed for our quiz today, and then S-U-R-P-R-I-S-E - we took our quiz. The rest of the class period was spent working on the crossword puzzle. Please have that puzzle done tomorrow. CODE: It's raining!

136. Monday, March 21, 2022: We finished our discussion of computer crime (losing a portion of my SMART board that I had to recreate Ugh!). Then the rest of the class period was working on the crossword puzzle with vocabulary words related to crime. We will have a quiz tomorrow (it will NOT cover the vocabulary on the crossword puzzle). CODE: negligent homicide

135. Friday, March 18, 2022: Today we discuss computer crime and its impact on society. We had such a good conversation that we have a little bit more to cover on Monday with a quiz on Tuesday. CODE: phishing

134. Thursday, March 17, 2022: We discussed identity theft for most of the class. We looked at the Iowa code and its impact on people's lives. Then we continued to discuss crimes against the judicial system. CODE: Life Lock

133. Wednesday, March 16, 2022: We spent a lot of time discussing possession of stolen property, Craig's List, and protecting ourselves in today's market. We then continued with our packets. We'll finish the packets tomorrow. CODE: horse trailor

132. Tuesday, March 15, 2022: We finished our discussion of Crimes against People and Personal Property. There is a worksheet posted to Google Classroom. You need to complete this and turn it in prior to class tomorrow. CODE: larceny

131. Monday, March 14, 2022: We reviewed the concept of double jeopardy in our bell ringer. Then we discussed the crimes - false imprisonment vs. kidnapping, rape, larceny, robbery, and burglary. For tomorrow, please complete the worksheet found in your criminal packet. CODE: intent

130. Friday, March 11, 2022: Day of Great Expectations

129. Thursday, March 10, 2022: We finished up our presentations. It's quite the conversation when we discuss children, women, mentally ill, and whether the death penalty (or life imprisonment without parole) is cruel and unusual punishment. CODE: stonethrower

128. Wednesday, March 9, 2022: We continued to review our study of the book Just Mercy. We have two left before finishing this. We should have just enough time tomorrow. CODE: mentally ill

127. Tuesday, March 8, 2022: Today we shared information regarding specific chapters assigned from Just Mercy. We're discussing the idea of being "in your right mind" and also age being a determining factor with the death penalty. We will hopefully have three presentations tomorrow. CODE: Alabama

126. Monday, March 7, 2022: Today I shared a little bit about my vacation. Then we covered the various murder - murder in the first degree, voluntary manslaughter (murder 2), and involuntary manslaughter. You need to have your presentation ready for tomorrow. CODE: passport.

122-125 I was gone last week, but if you go to Google Classroom, you will find all the lessons/agendas. Assignments included: vocabulary lesson over Legal Vocabulary II (Monday), two Forensic Files videos with worksheets, and finally, work on a presentation over the chapters from Just Mercy.

121. Friday, February 25, 2022: We finished the legal vocabulary #11-15. We then began discussing crimes against a person (law packet). I handed out a crossword puzzle over the criminal terminology, but we didn't quite get that far. We'll pick that up next week. CODE: death penalty

120. Thursday, February 24, 2022: We went through the legal vocabulary #1-10. We will be completing the lesson on Monday. Then we finished our criminal behavior notes. We discussed the various classifications of a crime. For tomorrow, please find an article that we will identify the duty, violation of duty, intent, and criminal liability. CODE: vicarious

119. Wednesday, February 23, 2022: It was nice to see you after a longer weekend thanks to the weather. We discussed the elements of a crime and if the examples provided were in fact crimes. They weren't as easy as we might have thought they were. For tomorrow, please watch the video that was posted to the Stream in Google Classroom. CODE: selling personal information

118. Tuesday, February 22, 2022: We didn't have class due to the late start. Please watch the movie I posted to Google Classroom stream. CODE: Mercy

117. Friday, February 18, 2022: We took our test over the court system. We will begin our criminal unit on Tuesday. CODE: Friday

116. Thursday, February 17, 2022: Class was about reviewing for tomorrow's court test. We had a little coffee upset, which reminds me why I shouldn't allow students, even seniors to have drinks in class. After the clean-up, we tried our best to get back and review things. Test is tomorrow, as it's better tomorrow then after a three-day weekend. CODE: poor Connor

115. Wednesday, February 16, 2022: Class started a little late today due to the wrestling send-off. For most of the class period, everyone worked on the presentation on specialized Iowa courts. We will share these presentations tomorrow. CODE: specialized jurisdiction

114. Tuesday, February 15, 2022: We continued with our discussion of Iowa Courts. I handed out a pdf of the courts in a nutshell. It really does a good job describing the federal system as well as the Iowa system. We managed to get through most of the specialized courts - juvenile, probate, small claims, etc. We will finish that up tomorrow with the test on Thursday (maybe Friday). CODE: trial by combat

113. Monday, February 14, 2022: We started our discussion of Iowa courts. I called Kendra (my daughter) for clarification between magistrates, associate district judges, and district judges. It's nice to have an expert in my back pocket. CODE: Louisiana

112. Friday, February 11, 2022: We reviewed very quickly, and then took our quiz over the Supreme Court and the famous court cases. It seemed like there might have been some struggling, so I hope I'm reading body language incorrectly. Have a great weekend. CODE: happy dance

111. Thursday, February 10, 2022: We finished up our discussion of the key Supreme Court decisions - Texas v. Johnson, Bush v. Gore, Roe v. Wade, and Obergafall v. Hodges. We will be having a quiz on the court cases tomorrow. I always find this so interesting. It isn't the laws or the President that affects change in our culture - it's the courts. CODE: holding

110. Wednesday, February 9, 2022: We discussed some famous court cases dealing with our due process rights - Gideon v. Wainwright and Miranda v. Arizona. We take our rights for granted because we hear them on television shows all the time, but the courts changed our perception and our knowledge of rights. We will be having a test over the Supreme Court and its famous cases on Friday. CODE: You have the right to...

109. Tuesday, February 8, 2022: Thank you for all your help moving the boxes to the store room. You've saved me a lot of time. Then we went over Plessy and Brown v. Board of Education. Everyone was assigned a particular case, and each are to research the journey to the Supreme Court. Was it through the appellate courts? a writ? or did the Supreme Court grab the case originally. CODE: Thurgood Marshall

108. Monday, February 7, 2022: We discussed in our bellringer the admissibility of graphic pictures. Of course they're allowed regardless of their impact on the jury. After all that is the point. We reviewed the court cases of McCulloch v. Maryland (the spirit of the law), the Drew Scott decision (people are property), Plessy v. Ferguson (separate but equal), and Meyer v Nebraska (foreign speakers do have rights). We'll finish up (I hope the cases tomorrow). CODE: Man's inhumanity to man.

107. Friday, February 4, 2022: Our bell ringer today was about reputation. Is a victim's reputation admissible in a court of law? The answer is yes. It reminds me of The Crucible. Your reputation can come back and convict or acquit (I love it when something rhymes.) Then we finished our discussion of current cases in front of the USSC. My "nerd" came out, but it was some great discussion. We discussed the pivotal case of Marbury v. Madison, as well as the "Chief" Chief Justice John Marshall. Have a great weekend! CODE: midnight judges

106. Thursday, February 3, 2022: We started by discussing a case that sounded quite familiar - when does a murder actually occur? At the moment of the event or when the person dies? We had some interesting conversations. We then watched Crash Course S.C.O.T.U.S. We added several notes to our packet - amicus curiae, solicitor general, appellate briefs, holding, concurring opinion, and dissenting opinion. We then started sharing the cases we researched on what is currently in front of the Supreme Court. CODE: friend of the court

105. Wednesday, February 2, 2022: What a fun date 02.02.2022! We reviewed what could be admitted into evidence during a divorce proceeding. We learned that a person's previous divorce and their character during that divorce aren't necessarily admissible. We then finished the law packet - reserved powers, Tenth Amendment, judicial review, exclusive jurisdiction, concurrent jurisdiction, and a few more terms. Please be sure that you have your Supreme Court case researched and posted to Google Classroom. CODE: reserved powers

104. Tuesday, February 1, 2022: We started class by watching a video about whether federal judges should serve for life. Then I distributed a handout called "Federalism, School Safety, and Congress". With this activity, we read two opinions - a majority and a dissenting opinion. We had to decide which one we agree with, and then I shared how the case really turned out. We didn't get the opportunity to review the court cases we researched; we'll tackle that tomorrow. For tomorrow, please complete the judicial handout #17-25. CODE: federalism

103. Monday, January 31, 2022: We started class by discussing a fair and speedy trial, and how double jeopardy can play into those freedoms. Then we worked on our Supreme Court notes. We watched a few videos (posted to the agenda), and then everyone had time to look at a case currently pending at the USSC. Choose one case that has been argued (the first column will have a date), but it hasn't been decided yet (the second column will have the word pending listed). Please fill out the chart that is posted to Google Classroom. CODE: Rule of Four

102. Friday, January 28, 2022: We started by discussing if a sleeping lawyer is any different than no lawyer at all. Then we continued our notes over the federal court system - district, court of appeals, and Supreme Court. We will continue with our discussion of the Supreme Court on Monday. Sorry for the lecture, but it disseminates the information the quickest. Have a great weekend. CODE: Justice Breyer

101. Thursday, January 27, 2022: I had a corrupted SMART board file, and that definitely threw a wrench into today's class. I had to create the notes on the fly, and I apologize that you had to wait for me to prepare for class. Once we got underway, however, we managed to discuss the district courts at the federal level. We'll pick up here tomorrow. Thanks for your patience. CODE: A frustrating day!

100. Wednesday, January 26, 2022: Day 100! That's just crazy! We went over the handout "The Judicial Branch in a Flash". We discussed the reading and also the exercises. Then we took a quiz over arbitration, mediation, trial v. appellate court, etc. For tomorrow, complete the crossword puzzle. There might be a few you need to leave blank, but that's okay as we'll cover them tomorrow. CODE: bench trial

99. Tuesday, January 25, 2022: We started class by looking at a case about fingerprints, mug shots, etc. Is that a violation of self-incrimination? We then looked at the original Supreme Court case. We took the rest of the class period looking at the qualities of a trial and appellate court. What are the similarities and what are their differences. Read "Judicial Branch in a Flash" and complete the front side of the worksheet given. CODE: jurisdiction

98. Monday, January 24, 2022: We looked at a case about self-incrimination, which only applies if you are the defendant, not if you are the plaintiff. Then we spent the rest of the class period working on Legal Vocabulary 1. We will start our discussion of the court system tomorrow. CODE: 5th Amendment

97. Friday, January 21, 2022: We started class by looking at a case involving letters, hearsay, and insanity. Then we finished our mediation activity. It seems both groups could come up with a solution (although I had to jump in and help one group). Then we searched for mediation stories in the news. We found a few examples: mediation between siblings concerned for care for their mother, mediation for the demolition of a grain elevator (or a historical site), mediation for salaries. On Monday, we will complete a vocabulary exercise. Have a nice weekend. CODE: mediation

96. Thursday, January 20, 2022: We looked at a court case that dealt with someone being shot and then the victim slit his throat - was it murder? Then we reviewed the vocabulary. We will be completing the lesson tomorrow. We started our discussion of mediation. Sam and Chris both gave their side of the story. Tomorrow the mediators will try and come up with a compromise that makes everyone happy. CODE: litigation

95. Wednesday, January 19, 2022: We looked at a court case about medical negligence and murder. There are so many issues we might not notice. Then we reviewed our vocabulary words - once around the room. I then presented the importance of negotiation before litigation. We discussed the differences and benefits of mediation and arbitration. I handed out a role-playing activity (Chris and Sam) that we will conduct tomorrow. CODE: Judge Judy.

94. Tuesday, January 18, 2022: We reviewed the concepts taught about sources of law, criminal v. civil, when to need a lawyer, etc. We then took our quiz. We're going to start on the structure of our courts tomorrow. Please have your vocabulary words ready for tomorrow's discussion. CODE: defendant

93. Monday, January 17, 2022: We took some time and discussed heresy and what is privileged communication (bell ringer) Then we finished the criminal and civil packet, when we need a lawyer, and where to find free legal services. Tomorrow we will have a quiz over the sources of law, types of statute law (criminal v. civil), regulatory law, military law, constitutional law, and juvenile law. Please know the differences between civil and criminal, felony and misdemeanor. CODE: heresy.

No school on Friday due to a blizzard.

92. Thursday, January 13, 2022: We shared our articles - criminal and civil. For those of you who didn't get it turned in, get that assignment completed as soon as possible. Then we went step by step through the civil case (Joe vs. the Contractor). We tried to finish up the exercises "criminal vs. civil," but we'll finish that tomorrow. Also, tomorrow we will have a quiz over the sources of law. CODE: Don't mess with Disney!

91. Wednesday, January 12, 2022: We started by discussing whether we were legally responsible for helping someone who is drowning. The answer is no, but we went on to discuss the idea that some states have what is called Good Samaritan laws. These laws protect you if you help someone and you can't save them. Then the estate can't sue you for anything that may have happened while helping them. Then Marshall gave his information on FTC and FDA. Finally (wow it seems we got a lot done), we reviewed felony and misdemeanor (exercises in the law packet). For tomorrow, find two articles, summarize and post their URLs. See example in Google Classroom. CODE: good samaritan laws

90. Tuesday, January 11, 2022: We started by discussing a case involving someone who killed themselves in another person's kitchen. We then finished up regulatory law. Everyone, well almost everyone, shared their regulatory agencies' responsibilities and issues. I then distributed a worksheet of legal vocabulary. Everyone was assigned two words. You will need to go to Google Classroom and fill out the slide for that particular word. CODE: ATF

89. Monday, January 10, 2022: We started to discuss a case called "Flash Fire". This case shows that the cause of injury needs to be a direct result of the action. We finished discussing the various types of law (worksheet on Sources of Law), and then we watched a few CSPAN clips on regulatory law. Everyone was assigned a various agency and asked to watch the short clips. Please fill out the chart. CODE: regulatory law

88. Friday, January 7, 2022: We discussed again the idea of assault. Then we review sources of law (handout) - constitutions, statue (criminal and civil), military, and juvenile. I handed out a worksheet that would review it, but the bell rang, and we'll start again on Monday. CODE: felony

87. Thursday, January 6, 2022: We discussed sources of law. We took a few notes on our own piece of paper. These notes defined law and the sources of law. Then we did an activity - No Vehicles in the Park. I think we understand that things are not as black and white as maybe we expect. For tomorrow, please complete the exercises on the Sources of Law handout. CODE: ordinances

86. Wednesday, January 5, 2022: And we're back, with a whole new crew. It was so nice to see all your bright shining faces in class today. Remember that if you're absent, you'll want to read this blog, record the code words, and then go to Google Classroom and look at the agenda posted there. Today we talked about why study law, what type of laws we need, and then we read a court case about a student being expelled. For tomorrow, please read the handout "Sources of Law". CODE: courtroom drama

82. Monday, December 20, 201: We finished our discussion of torts. We will have our test over torts tomorrow. Study your packets. In one of your packets, I repeated two of the pages (negligence and conversion). That's an oops on my part.

81. Friday, December 17, 2021: No class due to lots of people gone!

80. Thursday, December 16, 2021: No class due to a late start.

79. Wednesday, December 15, 2021: Today we finished up intentional torts. We had to add "defamation" to our notes as we didn't have a section for them. We will finish with causation tomorrow, and our unit test will be over torts on Tuesday. CODE: libel

78. Tuesday, December 14, 2021: Today we were missing a few people, but we had to move forward anyway. We reviewed the elements of a contract - offer, acceptance, and exchange. A contract is between two very specific people while torts are more broad and society based. We then started to review the intentional torts, and we have only a little bit left. Be sure to have your handout completed. CODE: Christmas trees.

77. Monday, December 13, 2021: Today we finished the elements of a tort - duty of care (general, professional, vehicular, and landowner), breach, causation, and damages. For tomorrow, please read through the intentional torts packet and answer the questions that are at the bottom. CODE: pjs

76. Thursday, December 9, 2021: We continued with our packet of duty of care. We spent a lot of time with vehicular duty of care, and that only makes sense as we are all drivers. Remember to get those tort articles turned in. CODE: vehicular duty

75. Wednesday, December 8, 2021: We had some fun reading about some silly torts. Some of you still need to find an article related to torts. We then went through the general duty of care and professional duty of care. We'll continue tomorrow. CODE: Snow stay away!

74. Tuesday, December 7, 2021: We finished the qualities of a tort today. For tomorrow, please find an article that demonstrates duty, violation of duty, injury, and causation. CODE: Roundup

73. Monday, December 6, 2021: Today we started the unit on Torts. We started by comparing and contrasting civil and criminal laws. We then started to discuss the elements of a tort (duty and violation of duty). We will finish that up tomorrow. CODE: compensation

72. Friday, December 3, 2021: I was gone, but you were to take the test over our Criminal Unit. I didn't see any notes, so I'm thinking things went okay. CODE: weekend vibes

71. Thursday, December 2, 2021: We discussed our thoughts on the death penalty. This is such a moral, divisive issue. For Tuesday, go to Google Classroom and tell me your thoughts offering as evidence the chapter you read from Just Mercy. We then went through the study guide in preparation for tomorrow's test. I felt like I left you hanging a bit in the review, but you always can text me any questions. CODE: morality

70. Wednesday, December 1, 2021: I'm here! Not all that strong, but I'm here! We played catch up for awhile, then reviewed some sentencing scenarios. It seems that there were several people absent. We first reviewed the term "plea bargaining" and why someone would choose to plead guilty to a crime they didn't commit. Then we did a few sentencing scenarios and discovered that sentencing someone isn't all that easy. We will work on the study guide together tomorrow and test will be on Friday. CODE: sentencing

69. Tuesday, November 30, 2021: I was gone again so I left the study guide for our criminal unit with Mr. Van Briesen. Our test was supposed to be on Thursday, but now it will probably be Friday to compensate for my absence. CODE: plea bargaining

68. Monday, November 29, 2021: I was gone, and just returned, so this is what I hope happened. There are websites posted to Google Classroom about the death penalty. Everyone should look through those and gather information about this controversial topic. CODE: Is it a race issue?

67. Wednesday, November 24, 2021: We finished watching 12 Angry Men. It's always such a powerful reminder how justice is often in the hands of 12 strangers who only want to do what they think is right. Please have your chapter from Just Mercy read for class on Monday. We will be talking about the punishment stage of criminal proceedings. CODE: Turkey and Stuffing

66. Tuesday, November 23, 2021: We reviewed what we've learned about the Rittenhouse trial. Then we began to watch 12 Angry Men again. We will (hopefully) finish it tomorrow. Maybe if I learn to be quiet, we'll get it done. Everyone should get their assigned chapter done. CODE: The vote is 9-3.

65. Monday, November 22, 2021: I was gone today, but I left each person a chapter from the book Just Mercy. Those chapter assignments are posted to Google Classroom. Take notes as you read so that you can share the information related to the death penalty. CODE: Stevenson

64. Friday, November 19, 2021: We solved the riddle (rather quickly), and then jumped right into the movie. I did record the portion from today, so if you were absent, please be sure to watch it. On Monday, you will have a study hall as I'm not sure how to record the movie for those that will be absent. WE'll finish the movie on Tuesday and Wednesday. Have a great weekend. CODE: "El-Train"

63. Thursday, November 18, 2021: We solved the riddle, then we discussed the responsibilities of serving on a jury. We then watched about 30 minutes of 12 Angry Men. We stopped to discuss how jury members bring in their prejudices and biases, and sometimes it might seem like a person could never get a fair trial. For tomorrow, please read the article that is posted to Google Classroom. You will need to summarize it as well. There is a question posted there. CODE: Juror #8

62. Wednesday, November 17, 2021: We solved the riddle, and then shared what concept we found to be interesting or enlightening. It seemed everyone was ready for today's quiz (at least I hope so). We then watched the first scene of 12 Angry Men. We will be watching this show for the next few days. I think it's a good movie to watch to summarize the idea of a substantive defense. CODE: Henry Ford

61. Tuesday, November 16, 2021: We solved the riddle, and then we finished up our notes over the sentencing and punishment stages. We were supposed to have our quiz today, but I thought we needed a little more review. I created a set of flashcards on Quizlet (link posted to Google Classroom). I hope it helps prepare you for tomorrow. CODE: immunity

60. Monday, November 15, 2021: We solved our riddle then finished discussing the various defenses - substantive, justification, and procedural. We then finished filling in our skeleton outline. Tomorrow we will have a quiz over the rights and responsibilities of the accused, various defenses, etc. CODE: due process

59. Friday, November 12, 2021: I was gone today, so this is what I left for your class. There was video on one of your vocabulary words - amicus curiae. Then you were to complete the vocabulary lesson. We'll see you Monday. CODE: friend of the court

58. Thursday, November 11, 2021: We solved our thirty-second mystery (you're getting really good at this). For our bellringer, we watched a CNN report of the Trevyn Martin case. Here was a case that was decided as a justification defense. After all these years, it still is a difficult case to listen to. Then we continued to discuss justification cases. Just a reminder that tomorrow, you're going to complete a vocabulary lesson over the Legal Vocabulary II. CODE: Defense of others

57. Wednesday, November 10, 2021: We solved our thirty-second mystery, and then we finished our reviewing our vocabulary. We will be completing the vocabulary lesson on Friday. Then we returned to the defense packet and reviewed justification defenses: self-defense, defense of others, and defense of home. Remember that the use of force has to be in proportion to the amount of force used against you. We will finish justification defenses tomorrow. CODE: Trevon Martin

56. Tuesday, November 9, 2021: We solved a thirty-second mystery, and then we began our discussion of the different defenses that can be used if you're pleading guilty. There's always the defense, "I didn't do it.," but what if you did? What other defenses can you use? Remember that tomorrow you need to answer the question posted to Google Classroom - the rights of the accused vs. the rights of the victim. CODE: intoxication

55. Monday, November 8, 2021: We solved a thirty-second mystery, and then reviewed the rights of the accused (and there are a lot). Then we finished our notes, and watched videos on Gideon v. Wainwright and Miranda v. Arizona. We will start discussing tomorrow the various defenses an accused can use when facing a trial. For Wednesday, please answer the question posted to Google Classroom - the rights of the accused vs. the rights of the victim. Who is more protected in our system? CODE: self-incrimination.

54. Friday, November 5, 2021: No school, therefore, no class.

53. Thursday, November 4, 2021: We started by sharing those qualities we believe a police officer needs to be a good investigator - problem solving, attention to detail, creative thinking. We then watched a short video on the reliability - or should I say unreliability - of eye-witness testimony. We then watch a CBS 60 Minutes presentation called "Picking Cotton". So interesting on the science of eye witness testimony. CODE: Police Line-up

52. Wednesday, November 3, 2021: We discussed the four elements of an arrest (intent, authority, seizure or detention, and an understanding. Then we discussed the differences between principals, accomplices, accessories, and obstruction. We will continue with this tomorrow as we discuss investigations and police practices. CODE: prank vs. criminal behavior

51. Tuesday, November 2, 2021: Our bell ringer reviewed warrantless arrests and searches. We then watch Crash Course Searches and Seizures. We then started to review searches and its exceptions. Please read the article about eye witness testimony. CODE: Terry Stop

50. Monday, November 1, 2021: We started our discussion of criminal procedures. We watched a CBS Sunday Morning presentation about an exonerated man who is still behind bars. So frustrating. CODE: Article 4

49. Friday, October 29, 2021: Rather than start something new at the end of a week, we went to the auditorium and worked on a few things for the play. CODE: Football win!

48. Thursday, October 28, 2021: We reviewed the elements of crimes and various crimes. We then took our quiz. For tomorrow, please answer the questions posted to Google Classroom related to the introduction to Just Mercy (Higher Ground). CODE: executions

47. Wednesday, October 27, 2021: We discussed computer crime. We looked at a few infographics and discussed the different type of crimes - phishing and skimming being the main two. Computer crimes have cost the American citizen 26.1 billion dollars. That's mind boggling! Please don't forget to have the first chapter of Just Mercy . CODE: phishing

46. Tuesday, October 26, 2021: We are almost done with the packet, but we still have to discuss computer crime. Everyone is supposed to find an article about crime against personal property and crimes again person. We will have a quiz on Thursday. CODE: arson

45. Monday, October 25, 2021: We're still working on the definition of various crimes. We focused mostly on personal property and things like fraud, burglary, and larceny. We'll, hopefully, finish the packet tomorrow. CODE: armed robbery

44. Friday, October 22, 2021: We continued with our discussion of crime and personal property. We discussed larceny, embezzlement, and false pretenses. There's some questions posted to Google Classroom. Please have them done by Tuesday. CODE: fraud

43. Thursday, October 21, 2021: We watched a short video that explained the differences between murder, manslaughter, and involuntary manslaughter. We then moved on to our law packet and answered the questions. We didn't get to the point where we were discussing larceny, but for tomorrow, please complete the worksheet that reviews larceny (#38). CODE: the Flordia building collapse

42. Wednesday, October 20, 2021: We spent (probably too much) time with the puzzle (finding faces in a hidden picture). We watched a news item about R Kelly's conviction. We reviewed the crossword puzzle. These terms are important because we will be using them regularly. We again struggled to get through the law packet, but we will persevere! CODE: premeditation.

41. Tuesday, October 19, 2021: We started class by watching a video where a man was tried for killing his wife four times. We discussed double jeopardy, mistrial, and dismissal. We were going to review the crossword puzzle, but a few of you needed a little more time, so we'll go over it tomorrow. We then continued with our legal packet - crimes against a person. CODE: double jeopardy

40. Monday, October 18, 2021: I'm not sure why it didn't save my blog, but I'll redo it and hope I don't forget anything. We finished up our crime notes (the elements of a crime) and then reviewed a variety of acts and determined whether they were criminal or not. I distributed a packet of crimes (substantive law) and this will serve as our textbook for the next few class periods. We shared our criminal cases, but Jess still needs to share hers as the bell rang. I created a crossword puzzle over criminal terms, but people needed a second day. CODE: duty

39. Friday, October 15, 2021: We first did a crime scene (after I ran down to run it off :-() Then we tackled the rest of the notes on "What is a crime?" We then analyzed various actions and determined whether they were a crime or not, and if not, what element of a crime the example was missing. For Monday, look for a crime that occurred in our area - northwest Iowa or Sioux Falls, and be prepared to share. CODE: embezzlement

38. Thursday, October 14, 2021: We didn't have class because most of you were in the ACT Prep Class.

37. Wednesday, October 13, 2021: What a windy, dark day! We started with watching "Just Mercy" - only to have it pointed out that we watched it before. I have to remember not to jump ahead of my own lesson plans! ;-( We then started to take notes on "What is a crime?" We got through duty, violation of duty, and then we'll pick up criminal intent tomorrow. We looked at a case from Sioux Falls to use as a gauge for what is a crime. For tomorrow, please read the introduction to Just Mercy. CODE: Sioux Falls teacher defends students

36. Tuesday, October 12, 2021: Today was test day. We're done with studying the court system, and tomorrow we'll start our criminal unit. For tomorrow please read the chapter from Just Mercy entitled "Higher Ground". CODE: Just Mercy

35. Monday, October 11, 2021: We watched a news report on the upcoming Supreme Court case that may or may not impact Roe v. Wade. Then we spent the rest of the class period reviewing for tomorrow's test. CODE: Kentucky

34. Friday, October 8, 2021: For our riddle we're finding the differences between two images. Thanks to the Smithsonian Magazine, there are competitions posted. We then reviewed Iowa's specialized courts. We had two slides that weren't completed, but otherwise we learned a little more about our state's courts. The rest of the class period was spent working on our study guide, which we'll finish up on Monday with the test on Tuesday. CODE: Iowa Judicial Commission.

33. Thursday, October 7, 2021: We solved a crime puzzle - looking for lost diamonds. Then we finished our notes related to specialized Iowa courts. Posted to Google Classroom is a slide presentation. Everyone was assigned one particular specialized court. Answering the questions posted, please research your assigned court. CODE: Estherville murders.

32. Wednesday, October 6, 2021: We read a newspaper article where an Iowa couple tried to deal with their divorce by using samurai swords. (LOL) We then discussed the Iowa Supreme Court and the various specialized courts. We will finish this up tomorrow. CODE: court of record

31. Tuesday, October 5, 2021: We reviewed the elements of a state court. I did call my daughter Kendra who works for the clerk of courts in Davis County. She told us how their courts work. We then finished up our discussion of district and appellate courts. We have to finish our discussion of the state supreme court, but we don't have much more to go. For tomorrow, please complete the Venn diagram that is at the bottom of the notes. CODE: 6 years

30. Monday, October 4, 2021: We reviewed the information related to our federal court system. We used the law packet as our guide. Then we took our quiz on the federal court system. Tomorrow we'll begin our discussion of the Iowa Court System. CODE: 10th Amendment

29. Friday, October 1, 2021: We finished our discussion of court cases, and then played a little Kahoot to review for our quiz, which will be Monday. CODE: symbolic speech

28. Thursday, September 30, 2021: We finished discussing our court cases. I originally hoped that we would take our quiz over the federal courts, but we have the law packet to get through along with the court cases of Bush v. Gore and Texas v. Johnson. My SMART board file was corrupted, so I was basically winging the entire lesson from memory. What is it with the SMART board lately! CODE: Gideon

27. Wednesday, September 29, 2021: We reviewed the court cases from yesterday's lesson. We then discussed Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education. Tomorrow we'll discuss the famous legal cases - Gideon, Wainright. Hopefully we can get through all the needed cases as I'd like to have our quiz on Friday. CODE: segregation

26. Tuesday, September 28, 2021: We spent most of the class period working and studying the various key court decisions. We studied Marbury v. Madison, McCulloch v. Maryland, the Dred Scott Decision, the Plessy decision, as well as the decision where the states tried to ban foreign language teaching. Eventually, we will finish up the major cases, and then move on to the other federal courts. CODE: The worse decision ever!

25. Monday, September 27, 2021: Today I still wasn't feeling the best, so I was a little slower than normal. We started by going through a crime scene - diamonds were lost. We then began discussing things we're hearing in the news - the firing of nurses who don't get vaccinated, cities who are paying individuals to not use guns (I hadn't heard this at all), and other things. This discussion got us to the end of the period, but that's okay. They were some good topics. CODE: We got off-track!

24. Friday, September 24, 2021: I was gone today, but we had everything set up so the class could continue. Everyone started with a crime scene (Stabbed and Twice Dropped). Then they watched a video on SCOTUS procedures. Then they completed a worksheet on famous court cases. CODE: precedence

23. Thursday, September 23, 2021: First we started with a crime scene (which I forgot to run off), then we watched a Crash Course video on the procedures for the Supreme Court. I was called away for a minute, but when I returned we finished our notes related to the Supreme Court. Tomorrow I will be gone, but I left a worksheet on the Supreme Court along with a video to watch. It might be a short class period, so bring some extra work to do. CODE: Chief Justice John Roberts

22. Wednesday, September 22, 2021: Today we discussed for awhile whether justices should serve for life. We then watched a short video that tried to identify various reasons for or against. Then we caught everyone up with our notes, taking some time to work on a Ven diagram (district vs. appellate courts). We had just started to watch the Crash Course episode on the Supreme Court, but the bell rang. Remember to find a court case currently in front of the Supreme Court and fill out the accompanying chart. CODE: SCOTUS

21. Tuesday, September 21, 2021: We are still missing two people, but we went on. I did record the class, so I'll send that to you through email. We finished our discussion of appellate courts comparing them to district courts. We looked at the specialized courts that exist at the federal level (tax court, court of claims, veterans court, etc.) We started to talk about the USSC court, but we need a little more time. For Thursday, please look up a court case currently in front of the United States Supreme Court and fill out the accompanying chart. CODE: sleeping lawyer

20. Monday, September 20, 2021: Again, we had over half the class missing, so we had a much-needed study hall. I'm thoroughly convinced that this is an answer to prayer! CODE: none.

19. Friday, September 17, 2021: Today was mostly discussion and notes on the federal court systems. We talked a lot about jurisdiction (general vs. specialized, original vs. appellate). We did get through the notes regarding federal district courts. We'll tackle appellate and the Supreme Court next week. Have a great weekend! CODE: 94

18. Thursday, September 16, 2021: I was gone on a field trip, but everyone was working on the legal vocabulary. This is posted to Google Classroom. CODE: litigation

17. Wednesday, September 15, 2021: We started by discussing the idea of a speedy trial and double jeopardy. We discussed how if the state acquits because of time passing, a person can not be tried again (double jeopardy). Then we watched a short video on the Supreme Court, and then we started to take notes. For tomorrow you will complete a vocabulary exercise. CODE: federal law.

16. Tuesday, September 14, 2021: We started by reviewing things from the handout "Judicial Branch in a Flash". We went over the reading, then completed the workseet. Then we took our quiz over the court basics. For tomorrow, please have the crossword puzzle on the back of this handout completed. CODE: bench trial

15. Monday, September 13, 2021: We started with our riddle (which was extremely easy I guess), and then went over our legal vocabulary. Next we reviewed the levels of courts - federal and state. This was basic court structure - trial vs. appellate. I handed out a law reading (Judicial Branch in a Flash). Tomorrow we will review these exercises and then take a quiz. CODE: litigation

14. Friday, September 10, 2021: We started with our riddle, and then we spent the class period working on mediating the divorce of Emma and James. We learned that it wasn't an easy process for anyone. CODE: divorce

13. Thursday, September 9, 2021: No class today as half the class was missing.

12. Wednesday, September 8, 2021: We started with a criminal puzzle. This time it didn't involve jealousy or a jilted lover. It was all about the power of observation. We then reviewed a few of our vocabulary words - three. We spent quite a bit of time on equity vs equality (such an important concept). We then had our introduction from our mediate for our divorce mediation. For tomorrow, please find an article that is related to mediation or arbitration. The article shouldn't be older than three years. CODE: planted evidence

11. Tuesday, September 7, 2021: We reviewed the steps to mediation, and then began our divorce simulation. Everyone was assigned a particular role, and tomorrow Jessica will serve as our mediator. Hopefully, we can come up with some kind of agreement. Don't forget to get your vocabulary complted. CODE: Emma and James

10. Friday, September 3, 2021: I returned your sources of law quizzes, and we reviewed the answers. Our bell ringer was a crime scene, and we figured it out fairly quickly. I might need to find some tougher ones as you are pretty good and deciphering the crimes. Next on the agenda was a look at our vocabulary. Everyone was assigned three words and you are to go to the Google Slides and add a definition, three synonyms, a sentence, and any graphics you can find. Then was started our discussion of negotiation, mediation, and arbitration. We basically got the definitions down, but we have a little more to cover before we do an application assignment. CODE: Motive - jealousy

9. Thursday, September 2, 2021: Today we reviewed the sources of law - the Constitution, statutes, regulations, and precedents. We then went over whether the situations described in the packet were civil or criminal. We also discussed when you need a lawyer. Everyone then took their first quiz. CODE: sources of law.

8. Wednesday, September 1, 2021; The first of September! Wow, 2021 is just flying by. We started class by reading 25 weird and frivolous lawsuits. Then we continued to discussed civil court cases - we numbered the events of a civil case, basically a timeline. For tomorrow, read the section - When do you need a lawyer? And then also answer the questions. We have a quiz tomorrow over sources of law. CODE: McDonald's Coffee

7. Tuesday, August 31, 2021: The last day of the month - already!! We shared our criminal and civil court cases. I often hate this day because we hear such horrible stories. So many news items revolving around murder and death. The lawsuits are always interesting to me, and you found some great ones! Then we turned to our packet on Criminal and Civil Laws. For tomorrow, read the section about a civil court case. Number the steps of the process. CODE: Let's sue!

6. Monday, August 30, 2021: We started with watching a 60 Minutes Rewind about Just Mercy. We're going to work with this book and the concepts within it. We then finished our discussion of juvenile law. For tomorrow, please have two articles - one on a criminal proceeding and the other on civil issue. CODE: Alabama

5. Friday, August 27, 2021: We started with a crime scene puzzle. It was fairly simple, but it was a good practice for us. We want to develop our deductive and observation skills. We then did a K-W-L of Criminal, Civil, Military, and Juvenile Law. It was a good discussion. We'll finish up Monday. CODE: sealed records

4. Thursday, August 26, 2021: The day started out quite interesting - blackout. We lost power for almost an hour.

3. Wednesday, August 25, 2021: We continued to discuss the Good Conduct Policy case and its details. Then we finished discussing statute law (both federal, Iowa, and locally). Then we went through th issues found in "No Vehicles in the Park." For tomorrow, find and bring an example of a local ordinance. . CODE: Beautifica.

2. Tuesday, August 24, 2021: We started out by discussing assault and analyzed a case. We are hopefully realizing not everything is cut and dry. We then reviewed Sources of Law and highlighted and took a few notes. We also read and discussed a court case currently in front of the Iowa Board of Education regarding Good Conduct Policy. We'll continue to discuss it throughout the week. For tomorrow, please complete the worksheet attached to Sources of Law. CODE: due process.

1. Monday, August 23, 2021: Welcome to law! Today we discussed why everyone took law, what they hoped to get out of the class. We registered for Google Classroom as well. I shared how this was a more discussion-based course, and the expectations that go along with it. CODE: law.