Public legal education
Encyclopedia
Public legal education comprises a range of activities intended to build public awareness and skills related to law
and the justice system. This term also refers to the fields of practice and study concerned with those activities, and to a social and professional movement
that advocates greater societal commitment to educating
people about the law. Distinct from the education of students in law school
seeking a degree in law (which is often simply called "legal education
") and the continuing professional education of lawyer
s and judge
s (which is sometimes called "Continuing Legal Education
"), public legal education is principally aimed at people who are not lawyers, judges, or degree-seeking law students.
The term public legal education (PLE) is related to, and may encompass, several similar terms. The terms public legal information and public legal education and information (PLEI) emphasize a difference between educating and providing information. The term community legal education is common in Australia and the United States, where it often refers to community-based public legal education activities led by legal aid
organizations. The term law-related education (LRE) usually refers to public legal education in primary
and secondary
schools (and sometimes in higher education
), as opposed to PLE for adults and outside of school.
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
and the justice system. This term also refers to the fields of practice and study concerned with those activities, and to a social and professional movement
Social movement
Social movements are a type of group action. They are large informal groupings of individuals or organizations focused on specific political or social issues, in other words, on carrying out, resisting or undoing a social change....
that advocates greater societal commitment to educating
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
people about the law. Distinct from the education of students in law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
seeking a degree in law (which is often simply called "legal education
Legal education
Legal education is the education of individuals who intend to become legal professionals or those who simply intend to use their law degree to some end, either related to law or business...
") and the continuing professional education of lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
s and judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
s (which is sometimes called "Continuing Legal Education
Continuing Legal Education
Continuing legal education is professional education of lawyers that takes place after their initial admission to the bar. In many states in the United States, CLE participation is required of attorneys to maintain their license to practice law...
"), public legal education is principally aimed at people who are not lawyers, judges, or degree-seeking law students.
The term public legal education (PLE) is related to, and may encompass, several similar terms. The terms public legal information and public legal education and information (PLEI) emphasize a difference between educating and providing information. The term community legal education is common in Australia and the United States, where it often refers to community-based public legal education activities led by legal aid
Legal aid
Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people otherwise unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to counsel and the right to a fair trial.A number of...
organizations. The term law-related education (LRE) usually refers to public legal education in primary
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
and secondary
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
schools (and sometimes in higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
), as opposed to PLE for adults and outside of school.
See also
- Popular educationPopular educationPopular education is a concept grounded in notions of class, political struggle, and social transformation. The term is a translation from the Spanish educación popular or the Portuguese educação popular and rather than the English usage as when describing a 'popular television program,' popular...
- Free Access to Law MovementFree Access to Law MovementThe Free Access to Law Movement is the umbrella name for the collective of legal projects across several common law countries to provide free online access to legal information such as case law and legislation. The movement began in 1992 with the creation of the Cornell Law School Legal Information...
- Plain languagePlain languagePlain language is clear, succinct writing designed to ensure the reader understands as quickly and completely as possible.Plain language strives to be easy to read, understand, and use. It avoids verbose, convoluted language and jargon...
- Ignorantia juris non excusatIgnorantia juris non excusatIgnorantia juris non excusat or ignorantia legis neminem excusat is a legal principle holding that a person who is unaware of a law may not escape liability for violating that law merely because he or she was unaware of its content...