Legal & Non Legal

Rules
Lady Justice
Lady Justice or Justitia is the
Roman Goddess of Justice

Depicted holding the Scales of

Justice upon which she
measures the strengths and
weaknesses of a case

Carries a double edged sword

symbolizing the power and
reason of justice

Wears a blindfold to indicate

objectivity
 Todays Focus

The difference between

Legal
&
Non Legal Rules
 Key Terms
Legal Rules

Non Legal Rules

Norms

Social Cohesion
The law consists of rules that dictate
acceptable modes of behaviour and
procedures; however, not all rules are legal
rules.

As members of the community, we are

subject to various ruleslegal and non legal
that govern our relationships with other
members of society.

Not all the rules that regulate our actions have

the same importance, and not all actions that
breach rules have the same consequences.

Legal rules:

These permit, modify or prohibit the

activities of people.

Non legal Rules:

These determine what behavior is

unacceptable in particular groups or
institutions. Rules can be set by a
range of groups or institutions such
as schools, universities, sporting clubs
etc, and apply only to people directly
involved with those groups or
institutions.
 Activity One:
In your table groups draw a line down the middle of the page.

Label the two sections, Legal Rules and Non Legal Rules.

Spend 5 minutes coming up with as many examples for both

sections as you possible can.

Legal Rules Non Legal Rules

Some Strange Laws

In WA it is illegal to be in the possession of

more than 50kg of potatoes

It is illegal to refuse to serve a drink to a horse

in an Australian pub.

It is illegal to leave your keys in an unattended

vehicle

It is illegal to fly a kite or play a game in a

public park if it is at the annoyance of another
person

In Victoria it is illegal to wear hot pink pants

after midday on a Sunday
Activity Two

A Day in the Life of You

Take 5 minutes to think quietly

and write down all the rules and
laws that have affected you in
the last 24 hours.

Share with the Class

The Characteristics of an Effective Law

?
Known
Understood
Accepted
Stable
Consistent
Enforced
Accessible
Known
The Law must be Known. Knowledge of
the law means that you are less likely
to break the law. You dont need to
know every law, however you have a
duty to know the law as it relates to
your activity.

Remember ignorance is no excuse

Understood

The law must be easy to

understand, it must be written in a
way that is accessible to most
people in the community.

The law must clearly set out rights

and responsibilities.
Accepted

The law must be acceptable to the

majority of the community. If people do
not accept the law they will not obey
it. A law is considered acceptable when
it reflects the morals and values of the
community
Stable

The law cannot be constantly

changing. If it is there is no way you
can expect people to know the law.
This does not mean that the law
should never change. Laws need to
be flexible with the ability to be
changed to reflect the changing
needs of society.
Consistent

The Law needs to be applied

consistently. People should be able to
see how laws were applied in the past
to judge how it may be applied in the
future
Enforced

The law must be enforced. If a law is

to regulate behavior then it must be
capable of being enforced.
Accessible

The law needs to be accessible. By

providing access to legal knowledge
and avenues for dispute resolution,
people have the opportunity to exercise
their rights and responsibilities