Re: Ask Howard Treesong About Law or Lawyering
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To ask a less hijacky question than my first, what level of knowledge about the law should a random person have? If it's hard to give a broad answer here, what criteria cause you to adjust your answer?
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I think a general survey undergrad course is a good idea. I think you should know what a tort is. I think a general education requires a general working knowledge of the Constitution. And I think it behooves everyone to know at least a little bit about criminal procedure.
After working on a federal court of appeals for a year, I am very very careful to have my hands on the dashboard and radio off by the time a policeman that has pulled me over gets to my car. And before I move my hands, I tell him exactly what I'm doing ("Officer, I'm reaching over to the glove box to get my insurance card.")
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