BUS 8 - Introduction to Business Law

Transfer Status

CSU/UC

Unit(s)

3.00

• Lecture: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)
• Total: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)

Course Description: Fundamental legal principles pertaining to business transactions. Introduction to the legal process. Topics include sources of law and ethics, contracts, torts, agency, criminal law, business organizations, and judicial and administrative processes. (C-ID BUS 125).

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Explain the historical development of the law, operation of the court system and sources of commercial law.
2. Explain the social, political and ethical implications of the law and their application to actual and hypothetical business transactions.
3. Distinguish between torts and crimes and describe the purpose of criminal and tort law.
4. Evaluate when a promise is enforceable, the elements of a contract, performance, and the remedies available in the event of breach.
5. Distinguish between contracts governed by the Uniform Commercial Code and those governed by the common law of contracts.
6. Analyze cases. Identify issues and apply the appropriate legal rules to the fact patterns to reach defensible legal conclusions.
7. Demonstrate the ability to utilize the internet to research legal issues and utilize other computer skills to enhance effective business communications and presentations through the use of appropriate business and legal terminology. Analyze whether a source is a reliable source for legal information.
8. Perform legal research, to include evaluating and interpreting a court citation and locating a court case on an assigned topic.
9. Categorize the types of government agencies, powers and functions, controls through congressional action, executive action, and the courts.
10. Differentiate the relationship between state and federal systems, jurisdiction, and the importance of alternate dispute resolution methods to the participants
11. Demonstrate how cases progress through the court system from problem, to filing, to trial, and appeal.
12. Appraise the relationship between law and ethics.
13. Describe the various agency relationships and the duties and liabilities of agents and principals.
14. Describe the Constitutional basis for federal governmental regulation of business, including limits of government power.
15. Explain a corporation’s legal structure and differentiate it from other forms of business organization, the meaning of limited liability for the owners; describe the relationship of the various stakeholders.

Topic Titles / Suggested Time Topic

Lecture

1. Discussion
2. Homework: Students are required to complete two hours of outside-of-class homework for each hour of lecture
3. Lecture
4. Case Analysis
   E. Small Claims Court Visitation

1. Exams/Tests
2. Quizzes
3. Papers
4. Class participation
5. Case Brief Submission Using the IRAC Method (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion), Small Claims Court Visitation Write-Up

Reading Assignments

1. Read the text material about torts and prepare for in-class discussion about how businesses can protect themselves from tort liability.
2. Read the text material about Constitutional law and search online for a current case being considered by the Supreme Court. Be prepared for in-class discussion about the arguments for or against the case.

Writing Assignments

1. Analyze a written case study based on a hypothetical scenarios prepared by the instructor. Analyze the facts, identify the legal issues involved, and apply the appropriate legal principles. Write a 3-5 page report using the IRAC format (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion).
2. Select a recent Federal Supreme Court decision. Read a case summary of the opinions, research outside opinions on the Internet, and prepare a 3-5 page written evaluation of the opinions and decision. Use the IRAC format (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion).

Out-of-Class Assignments

1. Visit a small claims court and independently observe one small claims court case involving an area of law covered in the course material. Prepare a 3-5 page written evaluation identifying the legal issues involved, the applicable principles of law, and the reasoning supporting the outcome of the case.
2. Visit a law library and look up a particular statute of interest to you. Prepare a 3-5 page written evaluation of the three cases that have been decided regarding interpretation of the statute, including brief facts from cases and rationale for interpretations.

Cheeseman. (2022). Business Law. Pearson, 11th. 9780136828075.

Kubisek, et. al. (2025). Dynamic Business Law. McGraw Hill, Evergreen Release. 9781264126033.

Liuzzo & Hughes. (2024). Essentials of Business Law. McGraw Hill, 2024. 9781266164521.

Other Learning Materials

Instructor provided sample cases, business documents, graphs, diagrams, etc.

Business (Masters Required)

Law (Masters Required)

Management (Masters Required)