Caveat Academy course · Grades 10 to 12

Legal Studies

How the law actually works, from the inside. You rank the sources of law, follow a lawsuit from complaint to appeal, test a crime by act and mental state, decide when Miranda warnings apply, run the four elements of negligence, price a broken contract and write an IRAC analysis the way law students do, at your own pace, with a certificate at the end.

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$19one-time · every device you sign in on
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Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the Career and trades courses, $79 for 18 items.

6 modules · 18 lessonsabout 13 hours$19

Six modules, eighteen lessons

Each module ends with a practice set that tracks mastery, an explain-it-back prompt, a short written response and a module exam. The final opens when every module is proficient; passing it earns a certificate with a verification code.

  1. Module 1: Foundations of law

    Rank the sources of U.S. law, distinguish civil from criminal cases by parties and standard of proof, and decide whether a precedent is binding or persuasive.

    • What law is and where it comes from
    • Civil and criminal law
    • Precedent and the common law
    about 2.1 h

  2. Module 2: Courts and how a case moves

    Identify which court can hear a case, put the steps of a civil lawsuit and a trial in order, and recognize hearsay, mediation and arbitration.

    • The structure of the courts
    • How a civil lawsuit works
    • Trials, juries and appeals
    about 2.1 h

  3. Module 3: Criminal law and constitutional rights

    Analyze crimes by act and mental state, apply the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Eighth Amendments, and decide when Miranda warnings are required.

    • Elements of a crime
    • Rights of the accused
    • From arrest to sentence
    about 2.1 h

  4. Module 4: Torts: civil wrongs

    Apply the four elements of negligence, separate fact from opinion in defamation, classify product defects and compute compensatory damages with comparative fault.

    • Negligence
    • Intentional torts and defamation
    • Strict liability, products and damages
    about 2.1 h

  5. Module 5: Contracts and consumer law

    Test whether a contract was formed, compute expectation damages, choose a remedy and apply federal consumer protections to everyday situations.

    • What makes a contract
    • Breach and remedies
    • Consumer protection
    about 2.1 h

  6. Module 6: Legal reasoning and legal careers

    Write an IRAC analysis, brief a case and read a citation, and evaluate legal careers and the ethics rules that govern lawyers.

    • Thinking like a lawyer: IRAC
    • Reading and briefing a case
    • Careers in law and ethics
    about 2.1 h

Try it before you start

This is how every lesson works: step through a worked example at your own pace, then answer a check and get the reason right away. Nothing here is saved; the course keeps your progress.

Module 4 · Negligence

Worked example: testing the four elements

  1. Facts: a grocery store employee mops an aisle and puts out no warning sign. A shopper slips and breaks her wrist.

A lesson check from each module

The checks need JavaScript turned on. The course itself works the same way.

What you get

Vocations · Job Skills$19 · included with the Academy pass and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A finished course in U.S. law: you can rank the sources of law, tell civil from criminal cases by their parties and standards of proof, say whether a precedent binds, pick the court that can hear a case and order the steps of a lawsuit, analyze a crime by act and mental state, apply the rights of the accused, test the four elements of negligence, compute damages with comparative fault and contract damages, use federal consumer protections, and write an IRAC analysis and a case brief. Passing the final earns a Caveat certificate of completion.
Who it is for
Students in grades 10 to 12 in a law, public safety or government pathway, students thinking about careers as lawyers, paralegals, court reporters or mediators, and anyone who wants to understand the legal system they live under. It is general education in federal terms, not legal advice.
Format
An online self-paced course: 6 modules and 18 lessons with worked examples you reveal step by step, 145 practice and exam items (multiple choice, numeric, fill-in and ordering), an explain-it-back prompt and a rubric-checked short response in every module, module exams with one retake, a 24-question final and a certificate with a verification code. About 13 hours in all; works on a phone or a computer.
Access
$19 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the course opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Career and trades courses ($79) and the Vocations Suite pass ($99), and 1 more bundle. Progress is saved in this browser on this device, and the certificate page lets you download your record.
Where it lives
The Job Skills space in Caveat Vocations.
Support
Access, a receipt, a refund or a correction to the course: team@caveatacademic.com.

How it works

  1. Open the course and start Module 1. Each lesson takes about 25 to 35 minutes; two or three a week finishes the course in about a semester.
  2. Answer the checks as you read. Every answer shows the reason, and a miss links you back to the lesson that covers it.
  3. Finish each module with its practice set and exam. Proficient on every module opens the final; 70 percent passes it.
  4. Print or download your certificate and record from the certificate page.

Start the course

Sources and accuracy

The lessons are original writing by Caveat Academic Services. Facts were checked against these free, open references, which are also good places to read further.

  1. United States Courts, court structure, civil and criminal procedure, and educational resources: uscourts.gov
  2. Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School, the Constitution, federal rules and a free legal encyclopedia: law.cornell.edu
  3. Supreme Court of the United States, opinions and how the Court works: supremecourt.gov
  4. Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, consumer rights: consumer.ftc.gov and consumerfinance.gov
  5. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, legal occupations: bls.gov

Legal Studies is a self-paced course from Caveat Academic Services. It is general education about U.S. law in federal terms, not legal advice; laws differ from state to state, and anyone with a real legal problem should consult a licensed attorney or a legal aid office. Numbers marked as example numbers are for practice only. It does not replace a school course and awards no credit. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.