History Of Criminal Law
The earliest known example of a written set of criminal laws was produced by the Sumerian people from the Iraq region. Their rules were authored sometime between 2100-2050 BC and were the first to create a distinction between criminal and civil wrongdoings. Civil law governs disputes between two or more private parties (modern examples include contract disagreements and divorce proceedings), and criminal law covers cases initiated by the state or federal government against an individual that has harmed another person or the general public in some way.
In Europe, one of the earliest documents that highlighted criminal law was created after 1066 following the invading forces of the Duke of Normandy, better known as William the Conquerer. By the 18th century, European law began to deal specifically with criminal activity and the concept of trying criminals in a court room setting began to develop. The English government created a system known as common law, which is the process used to establish and update rules that govern a group of people. Common law covers both civil and criminal matters, and it is a system in which laws are created and then continually revised and expanded by judges as they make rulings on legal matters that become precedents to help determine the outcome of future cases.
Following the voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492, European colonies began to be established in the Americas. As North America developed, it was regulated by British Common Law until the time of the American Revolution which lasted from 1775 to 1783. By the end of the war, America had become an independent nation, and adopted the United States Constitution. The Constitution became known as the "supreme law of the land" after it was officially ratified in 1789, and allowed for the establishment of the judicial branch of government. The judiciary borrowed from the English tradition and initiated a common law system which creates and revises the rules that govern the country today.
In modern times, the U.S. system of common laws continues to define what is or is not a crime, and the severity of any offense. Criminal cases that are brought before the courts are generally separated into three categories: misdemeanors, felonies, and treason. Misdemeanors are lesser offenses that are settled with fines or forfeiture of property, and some are punishable with a jail sentence of less than one year. Felonies are far more serious crimes that result in harsher penalties such as being sentenced to a state or federal penitentiary for one year or longer. They include assault cases, drug sales, various white collar crimes and other deeds that are harmful to people or society. Felony crimes such as homicide may also be eligible to receive the death penalty in some states. Treason is defined as any act that violates allegiance to your own country. Originally this primarily referred to war crimes, but over the years the most common form of treason has become the selling of government secrets to hostile countries.
Criminal law continually grows, and is often subject to change based on the morals and values of the time. The basic purpose of these laws is always to bring justice to those who have intentionally caused harm to others and protect the citizens of every country.
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