Application: Case Law vs. Statutes

Many public administrators work within the executive branch of the state or federal government. Accordingly, the public administrator is responsible for helping the governor or president implement laws. Several sources of law in the United States (e.g., case law, statutes, regulations) exist, and public administrators need to know the difference between these types of law. Because public administrators may implement case law, statutes, and regulations differently. In this Application, you will focus on case law and statutes.

To prepare for this assignment:

• Review Chapter 1 in the course text The Study of Law: A Critical Thinking Approach (4th ed.). Reflect on the differences between case law, regulations, and statutes.

   

• Review the Course Media piece “Case Laws and Statutory Law.” In the piece, identify whether the type of law presented is case law or a statute.

   

• Consider how a public administrator implements case law and statutes differently.

   

  The assignment (2–3 pages):

   

• Explain the differences between case law and statutes.

   

• Explain how a public administrator may implement case law and statutes differently. Be specific, and use examples to illustrate your explanation.

   

  Support your Application Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list for all resources, including those in the Learning Resources for this course.