Legal Environment of Business

Chapter 1: The U.S. Legal System

Section 1: The Impact of Law on Business

Section 2: Federal, State, and Local Law

Section 3: Constitutional Sources of Law

Section 4: Statutory Sources of Law

Section 5: Administrative Law

Section 6: Local Law

Section 7: Case Law

Section 8: Classifications of Law

Case 1.1: Expressions Hair Design v. Schneiderman, 137 S. Ct. 144 (2017)

Case 1.2: Morse v. Frederick, 551 U.S. 393 (2007)

Vocabulary

References

 

Chapter 2: Dispute Resolution

Section 1: The Structure of the Federal Court System

Section 2: The Structure of the State Court System

Section 3: The Structure of the Municipal Court System

Section 4: The Sources of Case Law (Court Decisions)

Section 5: Technical Requirements in Case Law

Section 6: The Trial Process

Section 7: Remedies

Section 8: Settlements and ADR

Section 9: After the Trial

Case 2.1: Robert Randall Capps, et al. v. Adams Wholesale Co. INC, et al., 2015 Tenn App. LEXIS 356

Case 2.2: Bakers Construction Services v. Greeneville-Greene County Airport Authority, 2015 Tenn. App. LEXIS 326

Vocabulary

References

 

Chapter 3: Torts and Crimes in the Business Setting

Section 1: Torts and Crimes

Section 2: The Tort of Negligence

Section 3: The Tort of Appropriation of a Name or Likeness

Section 4: The Tort of Defamation

Section 5: The Tort of Invasion of Privacy

Section 6: Jurisdiction in Tort Cases

Section 7: The Crimes of Theft and Embezzlement

Section 8: The Crime of Theft of Trade Secrets

Section 9: The Tort and Crime of False Imprisonment

Section 10: The Crime of Identity Theft

Case 3.1: Cristoff v. Nestle USA, Inc., 213 P.3D, 132 (2009)

Case 3.2: McCann v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 210 F.3d 51 (1st Cir. Me. Apr. 14, 2000)

Vocabulary

References

 

Chapter 4: Contracts

Section 1: What is a Contract?

Section 2: Classifications of Contracts

Section 3: Contract Elements

Section 4: Offer

Section 5: Acceptance

Section 6: Mutual Assent (Agreement)

Section 7: Consideration

Section 8: Capacity

Section 9: Legality

Case 4.1: Moridani v. Stone Clinical Labs, LLC, 231 S. 3d 803 (La App. 4 Cir. 2017)

Contract Analysis 4.1: Appliance Repair Agreement

Contract Analysis 4.2: Credit CARD Contract

Vocabulary

References

 

Chapter 5: Contract Enforcement and Termination

Section 1: Statute of Frauds

Section 2: Shrink-Wrap, Click-Wrap, and E-Contracts

Section 3: Revocation and Rescission

Section 4: Option Contracts

Section 5: Assignment and Delegation

Section 6: Third Party Rights

Section 7: Nondisclosure Agreements

Section 8: Noncompete Agreements

Section 9: Defenses to Contract Enforcement

Section 10: Termination and Breach of Contract

Section 11: Remedies for Breach of Contract

Case 5.1: ProCD, Inc. v. Matthew Zeidenberg and Silken Mountain Web Services, Inc., 86 F.3d 1447 (1996)

Case 5.2: Berkson v. Gogo LLC, 97 F. Supp. 3d 359 (E.D.N.Y. 2015), Berkson v. Gogo LLC, 147 F. Supp. 3d 123 (E.D.N.Y. 2015)

Case 5.3: M & M Elec. Contr., Inc. v. Cumberland Elec. Mbrshp. Corp., 529 S.W.3d 413 (TN Ct App, 2016)

Vocabulary

References

 

Chapter 6: Contracts and the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)

Section 1: Structure and Function of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)

Section 2: Offers Under the UCC

Section 3: Acceptance Under the UCC

Section 4: Enforceable Oral Sales Contracts

Section 5: Transfer of Title and Risk of Loss

Case 6.1: Total Source Molders, Inc. v. Great American Bottle Works, Inc., No. 0-736/09-1920, 2010 Iowa App. LEXIS 1547 (Iowa Ct. App. Dec. 8, 2010)

Vocabulary

References

 

Chapter 7: Property

Section 1: Property Basics

Section 2: Real Property

Section 3: Personal Property

Section 4: Bailments

Section 5: Intellectual Property Basics

Section 6: Intellectual Property: Copyright

Section 7: Intellectual Property: Patents

Section 8: Intellectual Property: Trademarks and Servicemarks

Case 7.1: David v. Lose, 7 Ohio St. 2d 97, 218 N.E.2d 442, 1966 Ohio LEXIS 322, 36 Ohio Op. 2d 81 (Supreme Court of Ohio July 6, 1966, Decided)

Case 7.2: Girlsongs, WB Music Corp., Sons Of K’OSS Music, Flyte Tyme Tunes, EMI April Music INC., Lido Music, Inc., and Controversy Music, Plaintiffs, v. 609 Industries, Inc. and Ethan D. Rubin, Defendants., 625 F. Supp. 2d 1127, 1128 (D. Colo. December 23, 2008)

Vocabulary 

References 

 

Chapter 8: Product Liability and Product Warranties

Section 1: Products Liability

Section 2: Cause of Action for Product Defect: Defect in Design

Section 3: Cause of Action for Product Defect: Defect in Manufacture

Section 4: Cause of Action for Product Defect: Failure to Warn

Section 5: Warranty Basics

Section 6: Implied Warranty of Merchantability

Section 7: Express Warranty

Section 8: Warranty of Fitness for a Particular Purpose

Section 9: Cause of Action for Breach of Warranty

Section 10: Extended Warranties

Case 8.1: Fox v. Amazon.com, Inc., 930 F.3d 415 (6th Cir.) 2019

Case 8.2: Warren v. Shelter Mut. Ins. Co., 196 So. 3d 776, 2016 La. App. LEXIS 1319, 15-354 (La. App. 3 Cir. 06/29/16); (Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit June 29, 2016, Decided)

Vocabulary

References 

 

Chapter 9: Environmental Law

Section 1: Environmental Protection Agency

Section 2: Air Pollution

Section 3: Water Pollution

Section 4: Land Pollution

Section 5: CERCLA

Section 6: Eminent Domain

Case 9.1: Kelo v. City of New London, 545 U.S. 469, 125 S. Ct. 2655, (Supreme Court of the United States June 23, 2005)

Case 9.2: FMC Corp. v. Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, 942 F.3d 916, 2019 U.S. App. (United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit November 15, 2019)

Vocabulary

References

 

Chapter 10: Banking and Debtor-Creditor Law

Section 1: Checks and Share Drafts 

Section 2: Credit Cards 

Section 3: Bankruptcy Basics 

Section 4: Types of Bankruptcy 

Section 5: Fair Credit Reporting Act 

Section 6: Fair Debt Collection Practices Act 

Case 10.1: Industrial Fabricators, Inc. vs. At-Net Services; Charlotte, 2018 NCBC 45, 2018 NCBC LEXIS 47 (North Carolina Superior Court, Gaston County May 9, 2018, Decided) 

Case 10.2: Taylor v. Perrin, Landry, deLaunay & Durand, 103 F.3d 1232, 1997 U.S. App. LEXIS 1637 (United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit January 29, 1997, Decided) 

Vocabulary 

References 

 

Chapter 11: Business Organizations 

Section 1: Introduction 

Section 2: Sole Proprietorship 

Section 3: Partnership 

Section 4: Limited Liability Company (LLC) 

Section 5: Corporation 

Section 6: Foreign-Owned (Out-of-State) Corporation 

Section 7: Formation of a Business: FEIN Number 

Case 11.1: Ferguson v Jenkins, 204 S.W. 3rd 779 (Tenn. Ct. App 2006) 

Case 11.2: Choosing a Business Name 

Vocabulary 

References 

 

Chapter 12: The Employer—Employee Relationship 

Section 1: Agency 

Section 2: Employees and Independent Contractors 

Section 3: Contracts of Employment 

Section 4: Employment at Will 

Section 5: Compensation of Employees 

Case 12.1: Outfitters Satellite, Inc. and Earthtrak Vehicle Tracking Systems, Inc. v. CIMA, Inc. and Newell Smith, Court of Appeal of Tennessee, 2/8/2005, No. M2003-02074-COA-R3-CV, 2005 Tenn. App. LEXIS 86 

Case 12.2: Federal Insurance Company a/s/o Robert and Joanie Emerson v. Martin Edward Winters d/b/a Winters Roofing Company

Vocabulary 

References 

 

Chapter 13: Discrimination and Harassment

Section 1: Civil Rights Act, Title VII

Section 2: Equal Pay Act of 1963

Section 3: Age Discrimination

Section 4: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Section 5: State Laws on Discrimination

Section 6: Affirmative Action

Section 7: Discrimination: Disparate Treatment and Disparate Impact

Section 8: Bona Fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ)

Section 9: Sexual Harassment

Case 13.1: Meritor Sav. Bank, FSB v. Vinson, 477 U.S. 57, 106 S. Ct. 2399 (1986) 

Case 13.2: Dothard, Director, Department of Public Safety of Alabama v. Rawlinson, et al., 433 U.S. 321, 97 S. Ct. 2720, Supreme Court of the United States June 27, 1977

Vocabulary

References

 

Chapter 14: Federal and State Protections for Employees

Section 1: Notice to Employees and Posters

Section 2: Workplace Safety: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Section 3: Workers Compensation

Section 4: The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)

Section 5: Family Medical Leave Act

Section 6: Social Security

Section 7: Health Insurance

Section 8: Privacy in the Workplace

Section 9: Unemployment Compensation

Section 10: Whistleblower Protection

Case 14.1: DaPrato v. Mass. Water Resources Authority, 35 Mass. L. Rep. 91, 2018 Mass. Super. LEXIS 74 (Superior Court of Massachusetts, At Suffolk, February 20, 2018, Filed)

Vocabulary

References

 

Chapter 15: Employee Handbook Drafting Project

Section 1: Employee Handbooks

Section 2: Employee Handbook—Example of Content Organization

Section 3: Employment Scenario 1

Section 4: Employment Scenario 2

Section 5: Drafting and Research Assignments

Section 6: Incident Report Form Example

References