A free, self-paced textbook in 7 chapters. Read a chapter, then drill it with the 100 companion flashcards using spaced repetition.
The legal system operates through a structured framework of parties, courts, and governing rules. Every lawsuit involves a plaintiff—the person or party who initiates the action by...
A tort is a civil wrong that causes harm or loss to another person, resulting in legal liability for the wrongdoer. Torts fall into three broad categories: intentional torts such a...
Criminal liability generally requires both a guilty act and a guilty mind, expressed in the Latin terms actus reus and mens rea. Actus reus refers to the physical act or unlawful o...
A contract is a legally binding agreement between two or more parties that creates enforceable obligations. To be valid, a contract requires several core elements: an offer by one...
Before a case reaches trial, parties engage in discovery, the pre-trial exchange of relevant information and evidence. Common discovery methods include interrogatories (written que...
The American legal system relies heavily on precedent, prior court decisions that serve as authoritative rules in future similar cases. Under the doctrine of stare decisis, Latin f...
Property law balances individual ownership rights with public interests through several key doctrines. Eminent domain is the government's power to take private property for public...