Law Merit Badge (Boy Scouts)

• 1: Define "law." Tell some of its sources. Describe functions it serves.
• 2: Discuss two of the following:
  1. Justinian's Code, the Code of Hammurabi, and the Magna Carta
  2. The development of the jury system
  3. Two famous trials in history
• 3: Tell what civil law is; tell what criminal law is. Tell the main differences between them. Give examples of each.
• 4: Ask five people (not more than one from your immediate family) about the role of law enforcement officers in our society. Discuss their answers with them. Go to a law enforcement officer in your neighborhood and ask about his or her responsibilities and duties. Report your findings.
• 5: Tell about several laws that were passed to protect the consumer and the seller. Tell about several organizations that provide help to consumers and sellers.
• 6: Do ONE of the following:
  1. Attend a session of a civil or criminal court. Write 250 words or more on what you saw.
  2. Plan and conduct a mock trial with your troop or school class. After the trial is over, discuss it with the group.
• 7: Arrange a visit with a lawyer who works for a business, bank, title company, or government agency. Find out his or her duties and responsibilities. Report what you have learned.
• 8: Explain the requirements for becoming a lawyer in your state. Describe how judges are selected in your state.
• 9: Make a list of 15 jobs that deal with some aspects of law or legal processes. Tell which you prefer. Why?
• 10: Tell where people can go to obtain the help of a lawyer if they are unable to pay for one. Tell what you can do if you can afford a lawyer but do not know of any in your area.
• 11: Discuss with your counselor the importance in our society of TWO of the following areas of law that have recently emerged and are still developing:
  1. Environmental law
  2. Computers and the Internet
  3. Copyright and the Internet
  4. Space travel and satellites orbiting Earth