Law

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Revision as of 05:55, October 10, 2008

For the Scout Law, see Scout Law.

Law merit badge
	Status:	Elective
	Created:	1974
	Discontinued:	no
	BSA Advancement ID:	068
	Requirements revision:	2003
	Latest pamphlet revision:	2008

Law requirements

Define "law." Tell some of its sources. Describe functions it serves. Discuss TWO of the following: a. Justinian’s Code, The Code of Hammurabi, and the Magna Carta. b. The development of the jury system. c. Two famous trials in history. Tell what civil law is; tell what criminal law is. Tell the main differences between them. Give examples of each. 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. 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. Do ONE of the following: a. Attend a session of a civil or criminal court. Write 250 words or more on what you saw. b. Plan and conduct a mock trial with your troop or school class. After the trial is over, discuss it with the group. 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. Explain the requirements for becoming a lawyer in your state. Describe how judges are selected in your state. Make a list of 15 jobs that deal with some aspect of law or legal processes. Tell which you prefer. Why? 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. Discuss with your counselor the importance in our society of TWO of the following areas of the law: a. Environmental law b. Computers and the Internet c. Copyright and the Internet d. Space travel and satellites orbiting Earth e. Patents f. Biotechnology g. Privacy law h. International law The official source for the information shown in this article or section is: Boy Scout Requirements, 2012 Edition (BSA Supply No. 34765) The text of these requirements is locked and can only be edited by an administrator. Please note any errors found in the above requirements on this article's Talk Page.

Notes

A FREE workbook for Law is available here! with the maps, charts, links, diagrams, and checklists you need! Or click here to print just the Law requirements.

meritbadge.org has PDF and DOC versions of Boy Scout merit badge workbooks, Webelos workbooks, and Cub Scout workbooks.

1. Per the BSA: "You should read the merit badge pamphlet on the subject." Pamphlets (books) are at local Scout Shops and online at ScoutStuff.org.
2. "Get a signed Merit Badge application from your Scoutmaster." An online, printable Word doc file version is available.

Requirement resources

• 1: Definition, Overview, History, etc.   Definiton of "Law"

Sources of Law

• 2a: The Code of Hammurabi   Annother source

Justinian Code   Another source

Magna Carta   What is the Magna Carta?

• 2b: History of the Jury System
• 2c: Famous Trials
  • Information on the Scopes "Monkey" Trial
  • Information on the Miranda v. Arizona Trial
• 3: Civil Law & Criminal Law

Differences between civil law and criminal law

• 5: Consumer Protection laws & organizations
  • State Attorneys General enforce state consumer laws and provide free assistance in investigating consumer complaints, issuing alerts, and insuring fair competition.
  • Consumer Product Safety Act - gives CPSC the power to develop safety standards and pursue recalls for products.
  • Federal Trade Commission Act - created the FTC to prevent unfair competition, deceptive acts, regulate trade, etc.
  • Pure Food and Drug Act - led to the creation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate foods, drugs, and more.
  • Communications Act of 1934 - created the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to regulate all radio and interstate cable, phone, and satellite communications.
  • National Do Not Call Registry - Privacy - allows US consumers to limit telemarketing calls they receive.
  • Fair Credit Reporting Act (FRCA) - regulates the collection, dissemination, and use of consumer credit information
  • Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) - limits abusive consumer practices, insures fairness, etc.
  • Truth in Lending Act (TILA) - requires clear disclosure of key terms of the lending arrangement and all costs.
  • Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) - prohibits kickbacks and requires lenders to provide a good faith estimate of costs
  • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) - provides consumer protection for Health Information
  • Federal Citizen Information Center - provides information about consumer news items, recalls, and consumer scam alerts.
  • Laws that protect the consumer
  • Better Business Bureau - file a complaint or see if others have complained about a business
  • Consumers Union evaluates products and services and publishes Consumer Reports
• 7: Job of an attorney
• 8: Legal Education topics: Bachelor's degree, Law School, Juris Docotr Degree, and Bar Exam.
  • Federal Judge

Related awards

See also

Boy Scout portal Varsity Scout portal Venturing portal

General Merit Badge information

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