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YejinJennyHanFirstPaper 3 - 16 Apr 2009 - Main.YejinJennyHan
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Introduction | |
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< | My family was involved in a lawsuit several years ago. We were new to America and had absolutely no idea how to seek help. We had the ability to afford an experienced and competent attorney but did not know how to locate one. Neither did our friends and neighbors. Whenever I reflect back on those times, I see a world of darkness, devoid of direction. Our sheer ignorance of the law proved powerful enough to confine us to the barren darkness. | >
> | My family was involved in a lawsuit several years ago. We were new to America and had absolutely no idea how to seek help. Though we could afford a competent attorney, we did not know how to find one. This ignorance of the law left us with no direction. | | | | |
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< | Knowledge of the law is essential in modern day living: it enables people to use the legal system more readily, to modify their behavior so that they do not unknowingly violate the law, and to act with more confidence. Providing legal education in secondary schools will provide a sound starting point to promote understanding of the law within the general public. | >
> | Knowledge of the law is essential to modern life: it enables people to use the legal system, to change their behavior so they don’t break it, and to act with confidence. Providing legal education in secondary schools would provide a sound starting point to promote understanding of the law within the general public. | | |
Why should we teach the law? | |
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< | Knowing law, knowing one’s rights, and knowing the structure of the legal system enable one to use the legal system. Because the majority of American citizens are aware of their First Amendment rights, they can readily resort to the legal system when they feel their freedom of speech and religion has been violated. Without the understanding of the First Amendment rights, the ability to seek protection of rights through the legal procedure or even to recognize that a violation of rights has occurred vanishes. | >
> | People can use the system effectively only if they have knowledge of their legal rights and of the structure of the legal system generally. Because most Americans are aware of their First Amendment rights, they can resort to the legal system when they feel those freedoms have been violated. Without this understanding, however, they would not be able to seek protection of those rights or even to recognize that a violation of rights has occurred. | | | | |
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< | Some may point out the availability of law firms or the vast amount of information on the Internet that people can consult to learn about the law and their rights. However, both alternatives are flawed. Law firms often charge high sums for legal advice. Moreover, researching the complex U.S. legal system, consisting of millions of statutes, codes, acts, and other mediums of law written in profoundly legal language, would overwhelm most people. If a tenant in an apartment complex receives injuries in a dangerously maintained common area and is unaware of his legal rights under tort law, he faces a difficult choice: does he hire an expensive lawyer for legal advice or engage in a resource consuming search for information, potentially fruitlessly, or does he let the matter pass without further expense? Because legal advice is expensive, individuals who are unaware of their rights often let them go unenforced. The capacity to use the legal system stems from the awareness of the rights in the first place. | >
> | Though people can consult both law firms and the Internet to learn about the law and their rights, both alternatives are flawed. Law firms often charge high sums for legal advice, and researching the millions of statutes, codes, and acts that make up the U.S. legal system, or even law books written in confusing legal language, without guidance would overwhelm most people. If a tenant in an apartment complex is injured in a dangerously maintained common area and is unaware of his rights, he faces a difficult choice: does he hire an expensive lawyer for legal advice, engage in a potentially fruitless search for information, or does he let it go without further expense? Because legal advice is expensive, and legal resources confusing and time-consuming, individuals who are unaware of their rights often let them go unenforced. The capacity to use the legal system stems from the awareness of the rights in the first place. | | | | |
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< | Secondly, individuals can avoid unknowingly violating the law by learning it. For instance, a property owner unfamiliar with the adverse possession rule loses his property upon return from study abroad due to the expired statute of limitations. Had he learned about the adverse possession rule earlier, he would have behaved differently – such as by leasing the land or returning within the statute of limitations. Good faith ignorance of the law is rarely a valid legal defense, and yet the law places the burden of knowledge on the citizen that is costly and difficult to come by. If individuals are to be governed by the law they should be provided a degree of legal education. | >
> | Individuals can also avoid unknowingly violating the law by learning it. For instance, a property owner unfamiliar with the adverse possession rule might lose his property upon return from study abroad due to the expired statute of limitations. Had he learned about the adverse possession rule earlier, he would have behaved differently, by, for instance, leasing the land. Good faith ignorance of the law is rarely a valid legal defense, yet knowledge of the law is difficult to come by. If individuals are to be governed by the law they should be provided a degree of basic legal education. | | | | |
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< | Further, knowledge of the law elevates one’s self-esteem. Our society respects and even admires law, and individuals derive a sense of self-satisfaction from having knowledge about such highly respected system of law. I remember the night of the first official banquet for 1Ls, where I saw proud smiles on the face of each student in an elaborate dress or a sleek suit. I cannot but admit that the prospect of being in law school – that is, becoming a person with such powerful tool as legal knowledge - played a significant factor in putting up those confident looks. | >
> | Knowledge of the law also elevates self-esteem. Our society respects law, and people get a sense of self-satisfaction from having knowledge about it. I remember the night of the first official banquet for 1Ls, where I saw proud smiles on the face of each student; it seems likely that the prospect of being in law school and of becoming a person with the powerful tool of legal knowledge played a significant role in those expressions. | | |
How? | |
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< | Some people may contend that law is so complex and profound that children will not understand it. Our educational system nevertheless has proven adept at simplifying complex ideas to suit the level of children’s understanding. Today secondary schools teach various subjects including physics, earth sciences, astronomy, etc. – none of which comprises down-to-earth, purely simple concepts. The Bible that many Christian readers find challenging to comprehend has also been repeatedly revised in modern language and for children there have been created Bible cartoons. Law does not substantially differ from physics or biology or the Bible in terms of complexity and profundity. Legal scholars may identify concepts most relevant to daily living and create the curriculum in simple terms. For middle school students, legal cartoons based on the actual stories of cases will induce an enjoyable and unforced learning. | >
> | Some people may contend that law is so complex and profound that children cannot understand it. Our educational system, however, has proven adept at simplifying complex ideas to suit the level of children’s understanding. Today secondary schools teach various subjects including physics, earth sciences, and astronomy, none of which is a basic subject. The Bible, which provides a challenge to biblical scholars, has also been repeatedly revised and simplified; for children there are Bible cartoons. Law does not substantially differ from physics or biology or the Bible in terms of complexity and profundity. Legal scholars could identify concepts most relevant to daily living and create a simple curriculum for high school students. For middle school students, teachers could teach with legal cartoons based on the actual stories of cases. | | | | |
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< | Based on the curriculum designed by scholars, schools can start by hiring law school students as teachers. Appointing law school students will benefit both the school and law students. For law students, the teaching experience will train them to effectively present legal matters in preparation for becoming lawyers. Secondary schools conserve resources by hiring students instead of certified teachers. In the 1970s, William A. Wirt High School in Indiana employed legal educational program taught by local law school students who received credits for participating in the program. The law students noted after participating in the program that they sharpened research, communication, and oral skills. Considering the difficulty of hiring professional instructors with legal educational backgrounds to teach in secondary schools, hiring law students will provide a sound starting point. | >
> | With a well-designed basic curriculum in place, schools could hire law school students as teachers. Appointing law school students would benefit both the school and the law students. For law students, the teaching experience would train them to effectively present legal matters, and the schools would conserve resources by hiring students instead of certified teachers. In the 1970s, William A. Wirt High School in Indiana offered a legal educational program taught by local law school students who received credits for participating in the program. The law students noted after participating in the program that they sharpened their research, communication, and oral skills. Considering the difficulty of hiring professional instructors with legal educational backgrounds to teach, hiring law students would be a good solution. | | |
Conclusion | |
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< | When my family was involved in the suit, the opposing family threatened to imprison my family unless an exorbitant amount of damages were paid. Retrospectively, I know that my family bore only slight liability; however at the time, the ignorance of law frustrated us with uncertainty as to where we were heading with the suit, despite the comforting words of our lawyer. Ignorance of the law is like darkness without direction, and everyday, people seek guidance and support in apprehension. Legal education in secondary schools will not only empower individuals to make effective use of the legal system and to behave in compliance with the law but also offer the compass individuals need in order to navigate through legal challenges. | >
> | When my family was involved in the suit, the opposing family threatened to imprison my family unless an exorbitant amount of damages were paid. Now I know that my family bore only slight liability; however at the time, the ignorance of law frustrated us with uncertainty, despite the comforting words of our lawyer. Ignorance of the law is like darkness without direction. Legal education in secondary schools will not only empower individuals to make effective use of the legal system and to behave in compliance with the law but also offer the compass individuals need in order to navigate through legal challenges. | | |
- You might be interested in Jim O'Neill's "Streetlaw" program, which does what you have in mind for eighth graders in
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YejinJennyHanFirstPaper 2 - 31 Mar 2009 - Main.EbenMoglen
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< | | | | | | | Conclusion
When my family was involved in the suit, the opposing family threatened to imprison my family unless an exorbitant amount of damages were paid. Retrospectively, I know that my family bore only slight liability; however at the time, the ignorance of law frustrated us with uncertainty as to where we were heading with the suit, despite the comforting words of our lawyer. Ignorance of the law is like darkness without direction, and everyday, people seek guidance and support in apprehension. Legal education in secondary schools will not only empower individuals to make effective use of the legal system and to behave in compliance with the law but also offer the compass individuals need in order to navigate through legal challenges. | |
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- You might be interested in Jim O'Neill's "Streetlaw" program, which does what you have in mind for eighth graders in our neighborhood using Columbia Law students as teachers.
- I think the essay could be edited more tightly, both at and above the sentence level. You can say what you want to say more economically without depriving it of any force. But I think both the concept and the execution of the essay are good as they stand, so the editorial work needed is not radical in nature.
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You are entitled to restrict access to your paper if you want to. But we all derive immense benefit from reading one another's work, and I hope you won't feel the need unless the subject matter is personal and its disclosure would be harmful or undesirable. |
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YejinJennyHanFirstPaper 1 - 27 Feb 2009 - Main.YejinJennyHan
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Legal Education in Secondary Schools
-- By YejinJennyHan - 27 Feb 2009
Introduction
My family was involved in a lawsuit several years ago. We were new to America and had absolutely no idea how to seek help. We had the ability to afford an experienced and competent attorney but did not know how to locate one. Neither did our friends and neighbors. Whenever I reflect back on those times, I see a world of darkness, devoid of direction. Our sheer ignorance of the law proved powerful enough to confine us to the barren darkness.
Knowledge of the law is essential in modern day living: it enables people to use the legal system more readily, to modify their behavior so that they do not unknowingly violate the law, and to act with more confidence. Providing legal education in secondary schools will provide a sound starting point to promote understanding of the law within the general public.
Why should we teach the law?
Knowing law, knowing one’s rights, and knowing the structure of the legal system enable one to use the legal system. Because the majority of American citizens are aware of their First Amendment rights, they can readily resort to the legal system when they feel their freedom of speech and religion has been violated. Without the understanding of the First Amendment rights, the ability to seek protection of rights through the legal procedure or even to recognize that a violation of rights has occurred vanishes.
Some may point out the availability of law firms or the vast amount of information on the Internet that people can consult to learn about the law and their rights. However, both alternatives are flawed. Law firms often charge high sums for legal advice. Moreover, researching the complex U.S. legal system, consisting of millions of statutes, codes, acts, and other mediums of law written in profoundly legal language, would overwhelm most people. If a tenant in an apartment complex receives injuries in a dangerously maintained common area and is unaware of his legal rights under tort law, he faces a difficult choice: does he hire an expensive lawyer for legal advice or engage in a resource consuming search for information, potentially fruitlessly, or does he let the matter pass without further expense? Because legal advice is expensive, individuals who are unaware of their rights often let them go unenforced. The capacity to use the legal system stems from the awareness of the rights in the first place.
Secondly, individuals can avoid unknowingly violating the law by learning it. For instance, a property owner unfamiliar with the adverse possession rule loses his property upon return from study abroad due to the expired statute of limitations. Had he learned about the adverse possession rule earlier, he would have behaved differently – such as by leasing the land or returning within the statute of limitations. Good faith ignorance of the law is rarely a valid legal defense, and yet the law places the burden of knowledge on the citizen that is costly and difficult to come by. If individuals are to be governed by the law they should be provided a degree of legal education.
Further, knowledge of the law elevates one’s self-esteem. Our society respects and even admires law, and individuals derive a sense of self-satisfaction from having knowledge about such highly respected system of law. I remember the night of the first official banquet for 1Ls, where I saw proud smiles on the face of each student in an elaborate dress or a sleek suit. I cannot but admit that the prospect of being in law school – that is, becoming a person with such powerful tool as legal knowledge - played a significant factor in putting up those confident looks.
How?
Some people may contend that law is so complex and profound that children will not understand it. Our educational system nevertheless has proven adept at simplifying complex ideas to suit the level of children’s understanding. Today secondary schools teach various subjects including physics, earth sciences, astronomy, etc. – none of which comprises down-to-earth, purely simple concepts. The Bible that many Christian readers find challenging to comprehend has also been repeatedly revised in modern language and for children there have been created Bible cartoons. Law does not substantially differ from physics or biology or the Bible in terms of complexity and profundity. Legal scholars may identify concepts most relevant to daily living and create the curriculum in simple terms. For middle school students, legal cartoons based on the actual stories of cases will induce an enjoyable and unforced learning.
Based on the curriculum designed by scholars, schools can start by hiring law school students as teachers. Appointing law school students will benefit both the school and law students. For law students, the teaching experience will train them to effectively present legal matters in preparation for becoming lawyers. Secondary schools conserve resources by hiring students instead of certified teachers. In the 1970s, William A. Wirt High School in Indiana employed legal educational program taught by local law school students who received credits for participating in the program. The law students noted after participating in the program that they sharpened research, communication, and oral skills. Considering the difficulty of hiring professional instructors with legal educational backgrounds to teach in secondary schools, hiring law students will provide a sound starting point.
Conclusion
When my family was involved in the suit, the opposing family threatened to imprison my family unless an exorbitant amount of damages were paid. Retrospectively, I know that my family bore only slight liability; however at the time, the ignorance of law frustrated us with uncertainty as to where we were heading with the suit, despite the comforting words of our lawyer. Ignorance of the law is like darkness without direction, and everyday, people seek guidance and support in apprehension. Legal education in secondary schools will not only empower individuals to make effective use of the legal system and to behave in compliance with the law but also offer the compass individuals need in order to navigate through legal challenges.
You are entitled to restrict access to your paper if you want to. But we all derive immense benefit from reading one another's work, and I hope you won't feel the need unless the subject matter is personal and its disclosure would be harmful or undesirable.
To restrict access to your paper simply delete the "#" on the next line:
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