Fundamentals of Business Law (with Online Research Guide)

by Miller, Roger LeRoy; Jentz, Gaylord A.

• ISBN13: 9780324270945
• ISBN10: 0324270941
• Edition: 6th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-01-12
• Publisher: South-Western College/West

Summary

This brief paperback book presents a clear and comprehensive treatment of what every person should know about business law. Summarized cases are integrated throughout each chapter to illustrate key legal points in an easy, accessible format.

Table of Contents

The Legal and E-Commerce Environment of Business	p. 1
Sources of Business Law and the Global Legal Environment	p. 2
The Nature of Law	p. 2
The Common Law Tradition	p. 3
Sources of American Law	p. 5
Classifications of Law	p. 7
The Constitution As It Affects Business	p. 10
Finding and Analyzing the Law	p. 17
Reading and Understanding Case Law	p. 20
Accessing the Internet: Sources of Business Law and the Global Legal Environment	p. 28
Courts and Procedures	p. 30
The Judiciary's Role in American Government	p. 31
Basic Judicial Requirements	p. 31
The State and Federal Courts Systems	p. 35
Following a State Court Case	p. 39
Alternative Dispute Resolution	p. 44
Accessing the Internet: Courts and Procedures	p. 53
E-Commerce and Dispute Resolution	p. 54
Jurisdiction in Cyberspace	p. 55
E-Commerce Disputes	p. 56
Online Resolution of Domain Name Disputes	p. 56
World Intellectual Property Organization Arbitration and Mediation Center	p. 61
Online Resolution of Other Disputes	p. 62
The Future of E-Commerce Dispute Resolution	p. 65
Accessing the Internet: E-Commerce and Dispute Resolution	p. 69
Ethics and Social Responsibility	p. 71
The Nature of Business Ethics	p. 72
Sources of Ethical Standards	p. 72
Ethical Decision Making	p. 74
Corporate Social Responsibility	p. 75
Ethics in the Global Context	p. 81
Accessing the Internet: Ethics and Social Responsibility	p. 86
Focus on Legal Reasoning: National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley	p. 87
Torts, Crimes, and Cyberlaw	p. 89
Torts	p. 90
The Basis of Tort Law	p. 91
Intentional Torts against Persons	p. 91
Intentional Torts against Property	p. 97
Unintentional Torts (Negligence)	p. 98
Strict Liability	p. 104
Accessing the Internet: Torts	p. 107
Business Torts, Intellectual Property, and Cyberlaw	p. 108
Business Torts	p. 109
Intellectual Property Protection	p. 112
Virtual Property	p. 119
RICO	p. 124
Accessing the Internet: Business Torts, Intellectual Property, and Cyberlaw	p. 127
Criminal Law	p. 129
Civil Law and Criminal Law	p. 130
Classification of Crimes	p. 130
Criminal Liability	p. 131
Corporate Criminal Liability	p. 133
Crimes Affecting Business	p. 134
White-Collar Crimes	p. 135
Defenses to Criminal Liability	p. 138
Constitutional Safeguards and Criminal Procedures	p. 141
Criminal Process	p. 143
Accessing the Internet: Criminal Law	p. 149
Focus on Legal Reasoning: Merrill v. Navegar, Inc.	p. 151
Contracts	p. 153
Nature and Classification	p. 154
The Function of Contracts	p. 155
Definition of a Contract	p. 155
Requirements of a Contract	p. 155
Freedom of Contract and Freedom from Contract	p. 156
Types of Contracts	p. 156
Interpretation of Contracts	p. 160
Accessing the Internet: Nature and Classification	p. 164
Agreement and Consideration	p. 165
Agreement	p. 165
Consideration and Its Requirements	p. 175
Accessing the Internet: Agreement and Consideration	p. 182
Capacity and Legality	p. 183
Contractual Capacity	p. 184
Legality	p. 187
Accessing the Internet: Capacity and Legality	p. 196
Assent and Form	p. 197
Genuineness of Assent	p. 198
The Statute of Frauds--Requirement of a Writing	p. 203
The Statute of Frauds--Sufficiency of the Writing	p. 207
The Parole Evidence Rule	p. 208
Accessing the Internet: Assent and Form	p. 211
Third Party Rights and Discharge	p. 213
Assignments and Delegations	p. 214
Third Party Beneficiaries	p. 218
Contract Discharge	p. 220
Accessing the Internet: Third Party Rights and Discharge	p. 229
Breach and Remedies	p. 230
Damages	p. 231
Rescission and Restitution	p. 234
Specific Performance	p. 234
Reformation	p. 235
Recovery Based on Quasi Contract	p. 235
Election of Remedies	p. 236
Provisions Limiting Remedies	p. 237
Accessing the Internet: Breaches and Remedies	p. 241
Focus on Legal Reasoning: Demasse v. ITT Corp.	p. 242
Sales, Lease, and E-Commerce Contracts	p. 245
The Formation of Sales and Lease Contracts	p. 246
The Scope of the UCC	p. 247
The Scope of Article 2--Sales	p. 247
The Scope of Article 2A--Leases	p. 249
The Formation of Sales and Lease Contracts	p. 250
Contracts for the International Sale of Goods	p. 260
Accessing the Internet: The Formation of Sales and Lease Contracts	p. 264
Title and Risk of Loss	p. 269
Identification	p. 270
Passage of Title	p. 270
Risk of Loss	p. 273
Insurable Interest	p. 278
Bulk Transfers	p. 278
Accessing the Internet: Title and Risk of Loss	p. 282
Performance and Breach of Sales and Lease Contracts	p. 283
Performance Obligations	p. 284
Obligations of the Seller or Lessor	p. 284
Obligations of the Buyer or Lessee	p. 288
Anticipatory Repudiation	p. 289
Remedies of the Seller or Lessor	p. 290
Remedies of the Buyer or Lessee	p. 292
Statute of Limitations	p. 295
Limitation of Remedies	p. 295
Accessing the Internet: Performance and Breach of Sales and Lease Contracts	p. 300
Warranties and Product Liability	p. 301
Warranties	p. 302
Lemon Laws	p. 309
Product Liability	p. 309
Strict Product Liability	p. 310
Restatement (Third) of Torts: Products Liability	p. 312
Defenses to Product Liability	p. 314
Accessing the Internet: Warranties and Product Liability	p. 319
E-Contracts	p. 320
Shrink-Wrap Agreements	p. 321
Click-On Agreements	p. 323
E-Signatures	p. 324
E-Agents	p. 326
The Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act	p. 328
The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act	p. 333
The NCCUSL's Web Site	p. 333
Accessing the Internet: E-Contracts	p. 337
Focus on Legal Reasoning: Lickley v. Max Herbold, Inc.	p. 336
Negotiable Instruments	p. 341
Negotiability, Transferability, and Liability	p. 342
Article 3 of the UCC	p. 343
Types of Instruments	p. 343
Requirements for Negotiability	p. 345
Transfer of Instruments	p. 347
Holder in Due Course (HDC)	p. 348
Holder through an HDC	p. 351
Signature Liability	p. 351
Warranty Liability	p. 354
Defenses to Liability	p. 355
Discharge from Liability	p. 358
Accessing the Internet: Negotiability, Transferability, and Liability	p. 363
Checks, Banking, and Cyberbanking	p. 364
Checks	p. 365
The Bank-Customer Relationship	p. 367
Bank's Duty to Honor Checks	p. 368
Bank's Duty to Accept Deposits	p. 373
Electronic Fund Transfers	p. 376
Cyberbanking	p. 379
Accessing the Internet: Checks, Banking, and Cyberbanking	p. 385
Focus on Legal Reasoning: Kolski v. Kolski	p. 384
Debtor-Creditor Relationships	p. 389
Secured Transactions	p. 390
The Terminology of Secured Transactions	p. 391
Creating and Perfecting a Security Interest	p. 391
The Scope of a Security Interest	p. 398
Priorities among Security Interests	p. 399
Rights and Duties of Debtors and Creditors	p. 401
Default	p. 401
Revised Article 9	p. 405
Accessing the Internet: Secured Transactions	p. 411
Creditors' Rights and Bankruptcy	p. 412
Laws Assisting Creditors	p. 413
Laws Assisting Debtors	p. 417
Bankruptcy and Reorganization	p. 417
Chapter 7--Liquidation	p. 418
Chapter 11--Reorganization	p. 426
Chapter 13--Repayment Plan	p. 428
Chapter 12--Family-Farmer Plan	p. 430
Accessing the Internet: Creditors' Rights and Bankruptcy	p. 434
Focus on Legal Reasoning: Grupo Mexicano de Desarrollo, S. A. v. Alliance Bond Fund, Inc.	p. 435
Employment Relations	p. 437
Agency Relationships	p. 438
Agency Relationships	p. 439
Agency Formation	p. 441
Duties of Agents and Principals	p. 443
Agent's Authority	p. 445
Liability in Agency Relationships	p. 448
Agency Termination	p. 450
Accessing the Internet: Agency Relationships	p. 455
Employment Law	p. 457
Wage-Hour Laws	p. 458
Labor Unions	p. 458
Worker Health and Safety	p. 460
Income Security	p. 462
COBRA	p. 463
Family and Medical Leave	p. 463
Wrongful Discharge	p. 463
Whistleblower Statutes	p. 465
Employment Discrimination	p. 465
Discrimination Based on Age	p. 470
Discrimination Based on Disability	p. 471
Defenses to Employment Discrimination	p. 472
Affirmative Action	p. 473
State Statutes	p. 473
Accessing the Internet: Employment Law	p. 478
Focus on Legal Reasoning Babick v. Oregon Arena Corp.	p. 479
Business Organizations	p. 481
Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships, and Limited Liability Corporations and Partnerships	p. 482
Sole Proprietorships	p. 483
The Law Governing Partnerships	p. 483
Limited Partnerships	p. 494
Limited Liability Companies	p. 498
Limited Liability Partnerships	p. 499
Limited Liability Limited Partnerships	p. 500
Major Business Forms Compared	p. 500
Special Business Forms	p. 500
Accessing the Internet: Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships, and Limited Liability Corporations and Partnerships	p. 506
Corporate Formation, Financing, and Termination	p. 507
The Nature of the Corporation	p. 508
Corporate Powers	p. 510
Classification of Corporations	p. 511
Corporate Formation	p. 513
Corporate Status	p. 517
Corporate Financing	p. 519
Merger and Consolidation	p. 523
Purchase of Assets	p. 525
Purchase of Stock	p. 526
Termination	p. 526
Accessing the Internet: Corporate Formation, Financing, and Termination	p. 533
Corporate Directors, Officers, and Shareholders	p. 534
Role of Directors	p. 535
Role of Corporate Officers and Executives	p. 536
Duties of Directors and Officers	p. 537
Liability of Directors and Officers	p. 539
Role of Shareholders	p. 539
Rights of Shareholders	p. 542
Liability of Shareholders	p. 546
Duties of Majority Shareholders	p. 546
Accessing the Internet: Corporate Directors, Officers, and Shareholders	p. 550
Investor Protection	p. 551
Securities Act of 1933	p. 552
Securities Exchange Act of 1934	p. 556
The Expanded Powers of the SEC	p. 563
The Regulation of Investment Companies	p. 564
State Securities Laws	p. 564
Accessing the Internet: Investor Protection	p. 568
Focus on Legal Reasoning Longman v. Food Lion, Inc.	p. 582
Property and Its Protection	p. 571
Personal Property and Bailments	p. 572
Property Ownership	p. 573
Acquiring Ownership of Personal Property	p. 573
Mislaid, Lost, and Abandoned Property	p. 576
Bailments	p. 577
Accessing the Internet: Personal Property and Bailments	p. 587
Real Property	p. 588
The Nature of Real Property	p. 589
The Ownership of Real Property	p. 590
Transfer of Ownership	p. 593
Leasehold Estates	p. 596
Landlord-Tenant Relationships	p. 597
Accessing the Internet: Real Property	p. 604
Insurance, Wills, and Trusts	p. 605
Insurance	p. 606
Wills	p. 610
Trusts	p. 616
Accessing the Internet: Insurance, Wills, and Trusts	p. 623
Focus on Legal Reasoning City of Monterey v. Del Monte Dunes at Monterey, Ltd.	p. 624
Special Topics	p. 627
Professional Liability	p. 628
Potential Common Law Liability to Clients	p. 629
Auditors' Liability to Third Parties	p. 632
Liability of Attorneys to Third Parties	p. 633
Potential Statutory Liability of Accountants	p. 633
Potential Criminal Liability	p. 637
Working Papers	p. 638
Confidentiality and Privilege	p. 638
Limiting Professionals' Liability	p. 638
Accessing the Internet: Professional Liability	p. 643
Focus on Legal Reasoning Marcus Brothers Textiles, Inc. v. Price Waterhouse, LLP	p. 644
Appendixes
How to Brief Cases and Analyze Case Problems	p. 646
The Constitution of the United States	p. 649
The Uniform Commercial Code (Excerpts)	p. 657
Spanish Equivalents for Important Legal Terms in English	p. 786
Glossary	p. 1
Table of Cases	p. 1
Index	p. 1
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