Foundations of Business Law and the Legal Environment
v. 1.0
Table of Contents
Licensing Information
Chapter 1: Introduction to Law and Legal Systems
Chapter Introduction
What Is Law?
Schools of Legal Thought
Basic Concepts and Categories of US Positive Law
Sources of Law and Their Priority
Legal and Political Systems of the World
A Sample Case
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 2: Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics
Chapter Introduction
What Is Ethics?
Major Ethical Perspectives
An Ethical Decision Model
Corporations and Corporate Governance
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 3: Courts and the Legal Process
Chapter Introduction
The Relationship between State and Federal Court Systems in the United States
The Problem of Jurisdiction
Motions and Discovery
The Pretrial and Trial Phase
Judgment, Appeal, and Execution
When Can Someone Bring a Lawsuit?
Relations with Lawyers
Alternative Means of Resolving Disputes
Cases
Chapter 4: Constitutional Law and US Commerce
Chapter Introduction
Basic Aspects of the US Constitution
The Commerce Clause
Dormant Commerce Clause
Preemption: The Supremacy Clause
Business and the Bill of Rights
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 5: Administrative Law
Chapter Introduction
Administrative Agencies: Their Structure and Powers
Controlling Administrative Agencies
The Administrative Procedure Act
Administrative Burdens on Business Operations
The Scope of Judicial Review
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 6: Criminal Law
Chapter Introduction
The Nature of Criminal Law
Types of Crimes
The Nature of a Criminal Act
Responsibility
Procedure
Constitutional Rights of the Accused
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 7: Introduction to Tort Law
Chapter Introduction
Purpose of Tort Laws
Intentional Torts
Negligence
Strict Liability
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 8: Contracts
Chapter Introduction
General Perspectives on Contracts
Contract Formation
Remedies
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 9: Products Liability
Chapter Introduction
Introduction: Why Products-Liability Law Is Important
Warranties
Negligence
Strict Liability in Tort
Tort Reform
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 10: Consumer Credit Transactions
Chapter Introduction
Entering into a Credit Transaction
Consumer Protection Laws and Debt Collection Practices
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 11: Secured Transactions and Suretyship
Chapter Introduction
Introduction to Secured Transactions
Priorities
Rights of Creditor on Default and Disposition after Repossession
Suretyship
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 12: Mortgages and Nonconsensual Liens
Chapter Introduction
Uses, History, and Creation of Mortgages
Priority, Termination of the Mortgage, and Other Methods of Using Real Estate as Security
Nonconsensual Lien
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 13: Bankruptcy
Chapter Introduction
Introduction to Bankruptcy and Overview of the 2005 Bankruptcy Act
Case Administration; Creditors’ Claims; Debtors’ Exemptions and Dischargeable Debts; Debtor’s Estate
Chapter 7 Liquidation
Chapter 11 and Chapter 13 Bankruptcies
Alternatives to Bankruptcy
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 14: Relationships between Principal and Agent
Chapter Introduction
Introduction to Agency and the Types of Agents
Duties between Agent and Principal
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 15: Liability of Principal and Agent; Termination of Agency
Chapter Introduction
Principal’s Contract Liability
Principal’s Tort and Criminal Liability
Agent’s Personal Liability for Torts and Contracts; Termination of Agency
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 16: Employment Law
Chapter Introduction
Federal Employment Discrimination Laws
Employment at Will
Other Employment-Related Laws
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 17: Labor-Management Relations
Chapter Introduction
A Brief History of Labor Legislation
The National Labor Relations Board: Organization and Functions
Labor and Management Rights under the Federal Labor Laws
Case
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 18: Partnerships: General Characteristics and Formation
Chapter Introduction
Introduction to Partnerships and Entity Theory
Partnership Formation
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 19: Partnership Operation and Termination
Chapter Introduction
Operation: Relations among Partners
Operation: The Partnership and Third Parties
Dissolution and Winding Up
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 20: Hybrid Business Forms
Chapter Introduction
Limited Partnerships
Limited Liability Companies
Other Forms
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 21: Corporation: General Characteristics and Formation
Chapter Introduction
Historical Background
Partnerships versus Corporations
The Corporate Veil: The Corporation as a Legal Entity
Classifications of Corporations
Corporate Organization
Effect of Organization
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 22: Legal Aspects of Corporate Finance
Chapter Introduction
General Sources of Corporate Funds
Bonds
Types of Stock
Initial Public Offerings and Consideration for Stock
Dividends
The Winds of Change
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 23: Corporate Powers and Management
Chapter Introduction
Powers of a Corporation
Rights of Shareholders
Duties and Powers of Directors and Officers
Liability of Directors and Officers
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 24: Securities Regulation
Chapter Introduction
The Nature of Securities Regulation
Liability under Securities Law
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 25: Corporate Expansion, State and Federal Regulation of Foreign Corporations, and Corporate Dissolution
Chapter Introduction
Corporate Expansion
Foreign Corporations
Dissolution
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 26: Antitrust Law
Chapter Introduction
History and Basic Framework of Antitrust Laws in the United States
Horizontal Restraints of Trade
Vertical Restraints of Trade
Price Discrimination: The Robinson-Patman Act
Exemptions
Sherman Act, Section 2: Concentrations of Market Power
Acquisitions and Mergers under Section 7 of the Clayton Act
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 27: Unfair Trade Practices and the Federal Trade Commission
Chapter Introduction
The Federal Trade Commission: Powers and Law Governing Deceptive Acts
Deceptive Acts and Practices
Unfair Trade Practices
Remedies
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 28: The Nature and Regulation of Real Estate and the Environment
Chapter Introduction
Estates
Rights Incident to Possession and Ownership of Real Estate
Easements: Rights in the Lands of Others
Regulation of Land Use
Environmental Law
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 29: Introduction to Property: Personal Property and Fixtures
Chapter Introduction
The General Nature of Property Rights
Personal Property
Fixtures
Case
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 30: Intellectual Property
Chapter Introduction
Patents
Trade Secrets
Copyright
Trademarks
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 31: The Transfer of Real Estate by Sale
Chapter Introduction
Forms of Ownership
Brokers, Contracts, Proof of Title, and Closing
Adverse Possession
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 32: Landlord and Tenant Law
Chapter Introduction
Types and Creation of Leasehold Estates
Rights and Duties of Landlords and Tenants
Transfer of Landlord’s or Tenant’s Interest
Landlord’s Tort Liability
Cases
Summary and Exercises
Chapter 33: International Law
Chapter Introduction
Introduction to International Law
Sources and Practice of International Law
Important Doctrines of Nation-State Judicial Decisions
Regulating Trade
Cases
Summary and Exercises