Exam 1 (Chapters 1, 2, 4 & 5) Flashcards
Treble Damages
A statue that says any individual or company harmed may bring a separate action to receive three times the damages actually sustained
Federal Trade Commission Act
One of the statues that regulate unfair competition. It
outlaws unfair methods of competition and unfair acts/practices that affect commerce
Price Discrimination
Occurs when a seller charges different prices to different buyers for “commodities of like grade and quality”, with the result being reduced competition or a tendency to create a monopoly
Also prohibits charging different prices to buyers as related to marginal costs
The Clayton Act is the federal law that makes this an illegal crime
Ex Post Facto
Laws that make criminal an act that has already been committed but was not criminal when it was committed
Laws that increase the penalty for an act already committed above the penalty in force when the act was committed
The Constitution prohibits both states and the federal government from adopting these laws
Difference in Grade
Quality or quantity
Six justified permitted basis of Price Discrimination
- A difference in grade (quality or quantity)
- The cost of transportation involved with performing the contract
- A good-faith effort to meet competition
- Differences in methods or quantities, that is, marginal cost differences
- Deterioration of goods
- A close-out sale of a particular line of goods
Constitution
A body of principles that establishes the structure of a government and the relationship of the government to the people who are governed; State and federal
The U.S. adopted theirs in 1789, after the 13 colonies won their independence from King George
The Branches of Government
Legislative Branch (Congress)
Executive Branch (President)
Judicial Branch (Courts)
Legislative Branch
The branch of government that makes the laws
U.S. Congress (Senate & The U.S. House of Representatives)
Executive Branch
The branch of government that executes or enforces the laws
The President
Judicial Branch
The branch of government that interprets the laws
The Court System
Delegated Powers
Powers, given by the Constitution, that are exclusive to either the state governments or to the national government
i.e. The national government alone may declare war or establish a currency
Shared Powers
The powers delegated to the national government that may still be exercised by the states
i.e. The grant of power to the national government to impose taxes did not destroy the state power to tax
Police Power
The states possess the power to adopt laws to protect the general welfare, health, safety and morals of the people
i.e. States may require that businesses be licensed with state agencies to protect persons dealing with the business
Prohibited Powers
The powers given by the Constitution that does not allow both states and the federal government from doing certain things
i.e. Neither states nor the national government may adopt ex post facto laws
Complaint
The filing of this begins a lawsuit
Generally contains a description of the wrongful conduct and a request for damages, such as a monetary amount
Bedrock View
The argument that the U.S. Constitution should be interpreted strictly; Originalist view suggesting that the federal government gets the least power possible
The purpose of a constitution is to state certain fundamental principles for all time
Living Document View
The argument that the U.S. Constitution should be interpreted broadly, suggesting that the federal government should be given the greatest power that the words would permit
This view also states that a constitution is merely a statement of goals and objectives and is intended to grow and change with time (Supreme Court follows this view)
Trier of Fact
Person, or group of persons, who determines facts in a legal proceeding, usually a trail
Voir Dire
Examination process where jury selection takes place
Jurors drawn for service are questioned by the judge and lawyers to determine whether they are biased or have any preformed judgments about the parties in the case
Due Process Amendments
Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments both limit the power of the government by prohibiting the national government and the state governments from depriving any person of “life, liberty or property without ___ of law”
Due Process Clause
(As a result of liberal interpretation of the Constitution) This clause now provides a guarantee of protection against the loss of property or rights without the change to be heard
The amendments also guarantee that all citizens are given the same protections
[U.S. Constitution, Fourteenth Amendment as to the states; modern interpretation of the ___ ______ clause of the Fifth
Amendment as to national government. Congress adopted the Civil Rights Act to implement the concept of equal
protection]
Equal Protection Clause
The Constitution prohibits the states and the national government from denying any person the ____ _____ of the law
This guarantee prohibits a government from treating one person differently from another when there is no reasonable ground for classifying them differently
Interstate Commerce Clause
To protect commerce, Congress was given Article I, Section 8, Clause 3: the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and along the several states and with the Indian Tribes
- Until 1937, The Supreme Court held that this provision gave Congress the power to control or regulate only that commerce crossing a state line (i.e. interstate railway train/telegraph message)
- 1947 The power expanded to the point that it gave authority to Congress to adopt regulatory laws that were “as broad as the economic needs of the nation” (manufacturing, agriculture, mining, stock exchanges, insurance, loan sharking etc)
- Today legislation and congressional authority is shared, some limitations are placed on this clause in order to asses the nature in which underlying activities are being regulated
Discrimination against Interstate Commerce
States many not use their tax power for the purpose of discriminating against interstate commerce
Tying
Occurs when the seller makes a buyer who wants to purchase one product buy an additional product that he or she does not want
It is a violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act (section 1)
Closeout
A sale on goods of a type that will no longer be carried by the store
The Sherman Antitrust Act
Contains two sections that control monopolistic behavior
- Every contract, or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce among the several states, or with foreign nations, is declared to be illegal
- Every person who shall monopolize or attempt to monopolize any part of trade or commerce among the several states (or foreign nations), or combine with others (who plan to do the same), shall be deemed guilty of a felony
Per Se Violation
(Of the Sherman Antitrust Act) Any agreement to change an agreed-upon price or to set maximum or minimum prices between or among competitors are doing this
Sometimes referred to as Horizontal Price-Fixing
Divestiture Order
If the Clayton Act is violated through ownership or control of competing enterprises, a court may order the violating defendant to dispose of such interest by issuing a decree called _____
Parens Patriae
“Parent of its people”
i.e. The attorney general of a state may bring a class-action suit to recover damages on behalf of those who have paid the higher prices, this action is based on the theory that the sate is suing as the parent of its people
Ombudsman
An official appointed to investigate individuals’ complaints against maladministration, especially that of public authorities
Monopolization
Attempts to monopolize
Monopolies and combinations that restrain trade are prohibited under the federal antitrust laws
The Right of Privacy
An individual right granted by The Constitution that has two components
1) The right to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures by the government
The Fourth Amendment (exclusionary rule) of the U.S. Constitution guarantees this position
Interrogatories
Written questions used as a discovery tool that must be answered under oath
1937 Supremacy Clause
In this year, the Supreme Court moved from an expansive interpretation of the Commerce Clause to a more narrow view, striking down numerous laws intended to protect the publics health
Conflict of Law
When a lawsuit is brought, there is not just the question of where a case will be tried but also of what law will be applied in determining the rights of the parties. The principle that deter- mines when a court applies the law of its own state—the law of the forum—or some foreign law is called
Some general rules apply. For example, the law of the state in which the court is located governs the case on procedural issues and rules of evidence. In contract litigation, the court applies the law of the state in which the contract was made for determining issues of formation. Performance disputes and damages for nonperformance are generally governed by the law of the state where the contract is to be performed. International con- tracts follow similar rules. * In the absence of a law-selecting provision in the contract, there is a growing acceptance of the rule that a contract should be governed by the law of the state that has the most significant contacts with the transaction.*
Specific Performance
Courts can order defendants in contract disputes to actually perform the contractual duties as originally agreed if it is determined that money alone cannot resolve the issue
An equitable remedy
i.e. could require the owner to convey title to the house
Precedent
When a court decides a new questions or problem its decision becomes a ____
Which stands as the law in future cases that involve that particular problem
Stare Decisis
Using precedent and following decisions is also known as the doctrine of ___
This rule is not set in stone, judges have some flexibility. When a court finds an earlier decision to be incorrect, it overrules that decision
Common Law
The body of unwritten principles originally based upon the usages and customs of the community that were recognized and enforced by the courts; time honored rules of the community
Changes in The U.S. Constitution
Changes in the constitution are brought about by
- Interpretation
- The U.S. Supreme Court has made the greatest changes by interpreting - Amendment
- Article V gives the procedure to follow for amending the constitution - Practice
- In practice, the letter of the constitution is not always followed
Substantive Law
Creates, defines and regulates rights and liabilities; the law that determines when a contract is formed
Procedural Law
Specifies the steps that must be followed in enforcing those rights and liabilities (substantive law)
Criminal Law
The laws that define wrongs against society
Violations carry fines and imprisonment as penalties
Civil Law
The laws that define the rights of one person against another
Violations carry damage remedies for the wronged individual`