SOLUTION MANUAL FOR g g
ThegLegalgEnvironmentgofgBusiness,g14thgEditiongbygRogergE.gMeiners
Chapterg1-22
Chapterg1
Table of Contents
g g
AnswergtogDiscussiongQuestion ................................................................................................. 1
AnswersgtogCasegQuestions ...................................................................................................... 1
AnswersgtogEthicsgandgSocialgQuestions ................................................................................... 3
Answer to Discussion Question
g g g
Shouldgthegcommonglawgmaximg“Ignorancegofgtheglawgisgnogexcuse”gapplygtogangimmigrantgwhogspeak
sglittlegEnglishgandgwasgnotgeducatedgingthegUnitedgStates?gHowgaboutgforgagtouristgwhogdoesgnotgspe
akgEnglish?gEveryonegknowsgcriminalgactsgaregprohibited,gbutgwhatgaboutgsubtlergrulesgthatgdiffergacro
ssgcountriesgandgsogmaygbegmisunderstoodgbygforeigners?
Answer:gItgisggenerallygtruegthatgignorancegofgtheglawgisgnogexcuse.gCitizensgaregdeemedgtoghavegcon
structivegknowledgegofgtheglaw.gYet,gasgwellgknowngasgthisgrulegis,gitgisgsurprisingghowgoftengitgisg
profferedgasgangexcuse.g(AgWestlawgsearchgcasesgfindsghundredsgofgexamples).gExamplesginclud
e:gDelucogv.gDezig(Conn.gSuper)g(lackgofgknowledgegregardinggthegstate‘sgusuryglawsgisgnogexcus
egforgtheginclusiongofgangillegalginterestgrategingagsalesgcontract);gandgPlumleegv.gPaddockg(ignora
ncegofgthegfactgthatgthegsubjectgmattergofgthegcontractgwasgillegalgwasgnotgexcuse).gThegcourtsgha
vegprovidedgagsmallgexceptiongtogthegrulegwhengitgcomesgtogpeopleginglackgofgEnglishglanguagegs
kills.gConsidergFlanerygv.gKuska,g(defendantgdidgnotgspeakgEnglishgwasgadvisedgbygagfriendgthatg
anganswergtogagcomplaintgwasgnotgrequired);gRamongv.gDept.gofgTransportation,g(nogEnglishgandg
anginabilitygtogunderstandgtheglawgrequiredgforgangexcuse);gYurechkogv.gCountygofgAllegheny,g(Ign
orancegandgwithgthegfactgthatgthegmunicipalitygsufferedgnoghardshipginglateglawsuitgfilinggwasgange
xcuse).
Answers to Case Questions
g g g
1. FactsgfromgangEnglishgjudge’sgdecisionging1884:g“ThegcrewgofgangEnglishgyacht ... weregcastgawaygin
agstormgongtheghighgseasg.g.g.gandgweregcompelledgtogputgintogangopengboat. .Theyghadgnogsupply
ofgwatergandgnogsupplygofgfood.g.g.g.gThatgongthegeighteenthgdayg.g.g.gthey suggestedgthatgone
shouldgbegsacrificedgtogsavegthegrest.g.g.g.gThatgnextgdayg.g.g.gtheyg.g.g.gwentgtogthegboy putgagknife
intoghisgthroatgandgkilledghimg.g.g.gthegthreegmengfedgupongthegbody . ofgthegboygforgfourgdays;g[then]
thegboatgwasgpickedgupgbygagpassinggvessel,gandg[they]gweregrescued.g.g.g.gandgcommittedgforgtrial
.g.g.g.gifgthegmenghadgnotgfedgupongthegbodygofgthegboygtheygwouldgprobablygnotghavegsurvivedgtog
begsogpickedgupgandgrescued,gbutgwould
............................................................ havegdiedgofgfamine.gThegboy,gbeinggingagmuchgweaker
condition,gwasglikelygtoghavegdiedgbeforegthem......Thegrealgquestiongingthisgcaseg[is]gwhethergkilling
undergthegconditionsgsetgforth ..... begorgbegnotgmurder.”gDogyougconsidergthegactsgtogbegimmoral?
[Reginagv.gDudleygandgStephens,g14gQueensgBenchgDivisiong273g(1884)]
Answer:gThisgpointsgoutgthatgtheglegalgsystemghasglimits.gItsgacceptabilitygisgdictatedgbyglegalgculture--
whichgdeterminesgwhetherglawgwillgbegenforced,gobeyed,gavoided,gorgabused.gItgisglimitedgbygthegi
nformalgrulesgofgthegsociety--
itsgcustomsgandgvalues.gOneglimitgisgthegextentgtogwhichgsocietygwillgallowgthegformalgrulesgtogbegi
mposedgwhengagcrimegisgcommittedgingoddgcircumstances.gHeregtheregwasgangintentionalgmurder.
©g2022gCengage.gAllgRightsgReserved.gMaygnotgbegscanned,gcopiedgorgduplicated,gorgpostedgtogagpubliclygac 1
cessible
website,gingwholegorgingpart.
, gDoesgthegmotivegforgthegmurder,gthegeffortgtogsavegseveralglivesgbygsacrificinggone
©g2022gCengage.gAllgRightsgReserved.gMaygnotgbegscanned,gcopiedgorgduplicated,gorgpostedgtogagpubliclygac 2
cessible
website,gingwholegorgingpart.
, life,gmakegitgagcrimegthatgshouldgbegpunished?gNotgallgcrimesgaregtreatedgthegsame.gItgalsograises
gquestionsgaboutgthegdesirabilitygofgnotggivinggjudgesgflexibilitygingsentencing.
TheregwasgagprecedentgforgaglightgsentencegingthisgcasegingU.S.glaw:gU.S.gv.gHolmes,g20gF.gCas.g
360g(No.g15383)g(C.C.E.D.gPa.g1842).gThegcaseginvolvedgagsinkinggoceangliner.gSeveralgpassenge
rsgmadegitgtogthegonlyglifeboat,gwhichgwasgfargtoogovercrowded.gThegcaptaingdecidedgtogsavegtheg
womengandgchildrengandgthrewgseveralgmengoverboard.gTheglifeboatgwasgrescued.gTheggrandgjury
grefusedgtog indictgthegcaptaingfromgmurder,gonlygforgmanslaughter.gHeggotgagsixgmonthgsentence.
ThegBritishgjudgegingthegcasegheregimposedgthegdeathgpenaltygupongthegpersongwhogsurvived.g
Thegjudgegfoundgitgdifficultgtogrulegthatgeverygmangongboardghadgthegrightgtogmakeglawgbyghisg
ownghand.gThegCrowngreducedgthegsentencegtogsixgmonths.
2. Smokinggisgagseriousghealthghazard.gCigarettesgareglegal.gShouldgcigarettegmanufacturersgbegliabl
egforgthegseriousgillnessesgandguntimelygdeathsgcausedgbygtheirgunavoidablygdangerousgproducts,g
evengthoughgtheygpostgagwarninggongthegpackagegandgconsumersgvoluntarilygassumegtheghealthgr
isksgbygsmoking?g[Cipollonegv.gLiggettgGroup,gInc.,g505gU.S.g504g(1992)]
Answer:gTheggeneralgrulegthatgexistsgnowgisgthatgsincegtheggovernmentghasgorderedgthegpostinggofgwa
rningglabelsgongcigarettes,gandgsincegthegdangersgofgsmokinggaregwellgknown,gconsumersghavegb
eengwarnedgandgaregnotgduegcompensationgifgtheygkillgthemselvesgbygsmoking.gThegCippolinegcas
e,gsincegreviewedgbygthegSupremegCourt,gappearsgtogbegofglimitedgimpactgsincegthegvictimgwasga
djudgedgtoghavegbecomegaddictedgtogcigarettesgbeforegthegwarningglabelgwasgorderedging1964.gIfg
cigarettegmakersgweregheldgresponsiblegforgallghealthgproblemsgassociatedgwithgcigarettes,gthen,gli
kegalcoholgandgothergdangerousgproducts,gthegdamagesgwouldglikelygbegsoghighgitgwouldgeffective
lygbangthegproducts.gPresumably,gingagfreegsocietygifgadultsgaregclearlyginformedgofgthegrisksgofgpr
oductsgthatgcannotgbegmadegsafe,gtheygacceptgthegrisk.gTobaccogandgalcoholgproducersgcannotgta
kegthegdangersgoutgofgthegproductsgexceptgatgthegmargingbygencouraginggresponsiblegdrinkinggan
dgtheglike.gAregdrugsglikegcocainegdifferent?
3. Twogeight-year-oldgboysgweregseriouslyginjuredgwhengridinggHondagmini-
trailgbikes.gThegboysgweregridinggongpublicgstreets,grangagstopgsign,gandgwereghitgbygagtruck.gTheg
bikesghadgcleargwarningglabelsgongthegfrontgstatinggtheygweregonlygforgoff-
roadguse.gThegmanualgstatedgthegbikesgweregnotgtogbegusedgongpublicgstreets.gThegparentsgsuedg
Honda.gThegsupremegcourtgofgWashingtongsaidgonegbasicgissuegexisted:g“Isgagmanufacturergliable
gwhengchildrengareginjuredgwhilegridinggonegofgitsgmini-
trailgbikesgongagpublicgroadgingviolationgofgmanufacturergandgparentalgwarnings?”gIsgitgunethicalgtog
makegproductsglikegmini-
trailgbikesgchildrengwillgusegwhengwegknowgaccidentsglikegthisgwillghappen?g[Baughngv.gHondagMot
orgCo.,g727gP.2dg655gSup.gCt,gWash.,g(1986)]
Answer:gThegcourtgfoundgnogliabilitygforgthegmanufacturers.gTheregwasgnogdefect;gthegproductgwasgsaf
egforgintendedguse.gSafetyginstructionsgweregclear;gthegparentsgletgthegboysgridegthegbikes.gAnythi
nggcangbegdangerous--
baseballsgaregdangerousgwhengtheyghitgtheghead,gswingsgaregdangerousgwhengkidsgjumpgoutgofgt
hem;gtheregisgonlygsogmuchgthatgcangbegdonegtogmakegtheggovernmentgtheg―nationalgnanny‖gasgt
hegWashingtongPostgoncegsaidgaboutgexcessivegconsumergprotection.gParentsgmustgacceptgaghig
hgdegreegofgresponsiblegforgtheirgowngchildren.
4. JohnsongControlsgadoptedgag“fetalgprotectiongpolicy”gthatgwomengofgchildbearinggagegcouldgnotgw
orkgingthegbattery-
makinggdivisiongofgthegcompany.gExposuregtogleadgingthegbatterygoperationgcouldgcausegharmgtogu
nborngbabies.gThegcompanygwasgconcernedgaboutgpossibleglegalgliabilitygforginjurygsufferedgbygba
biesgofgmothersgwhoghadgworkedgingthegbatterygdivision.gThegSupremegCourtgheldgthegcompanygp
olicygwasgillegal.gItgwasgang“excusegforgdenyinggwomengequalgemploymentgopportunities.”gIsgtheg
Courtgforcinggthegcompanygtogbegunethicalgbygallowinggpregnantgwomengwhogignoregthegwarnings
gtogexposegtheirgbabiesgtogtheglead?g[UnitedgAutogWorkersgv.gJohnsongControls,g499gU.S.g187g(1
991)]
Answer:gThegCourtgheldgitgagformgofgsexgdiscriminationgtogpreventgwomengofgchild-
bearinggagegfromgholdinggthegmoregdangerousgjobs.gThegcompanygarguedgthatgitgdidgthisgtogprote
©g2022gCengage.gAllgRightsgReserved.gMaygnotgbegscanned,gcopiedgorgduplicated,gorgpostedgtogagpubliclygac 3
cessible
website,gingwholegorgingpart.
, ctgitselfgfromgpossiblegliabilitygingcasegofgdamagegtogbabiesgandgthatgthegdecisiongwasgethical.gTh
egreplacementsgforgthesegworkersgweregoftengmengorgmoregseniorgwomen,gwhogtendedgtogbeghig
hergincomegworkers,gsogthis
©g2022gCengage.gAllgRightsgReserved.gMaygnotgbegscanned,gcopiedgorgduplicated,gorgpostedgtogagpubliclygac 4
cessible
website,gingwholegorgingpart.
ThegLegalgEnvironmentgofgBusiness,g14thgEditiongbygRogergE.gMeiners
Chapterg1-22
Chapterg1
Table of Contents
g g
AnswergtogDiscussiongQuestion ................................................................................................. 1
AnswersgtogCasegQuestions ...................................................................................................... 1
AnswersgtogEthicsgandgSocialgQuestions ................................................................................... 3
Answer to Discussion Question
g g g
Shouldgthegcommonglawgmaximg“Ignorancegofgtheglawgisgnogexcuse”gapplygtogangimmigrantgwhogspeak
sglittlegEnglishgandgwasgnotgeducatedgingthegUnitedgStates?gHowgaboutgforgagtouristgwhogdoesgnotgspe
akgEnglish?gEveryonegknowsgcriminalgactsgaregprohibited,gbutgwhatgaboutgsubtlergrulesgthatgdiffergacro
ssgcountriesgandgsogmaygbegmisunderstoodgbygforeigners?
Answer:gItgisggenerallygtruegthatgignorancegofgtheglawgisgnogexcuse.gCitizensgaregdeemedgtoghavegcon
structivegknowledgegofgtheglaw.gYet,gasgwellgknowngasgthisgrulegis,gitgisgsurprisingghowgoftengitgisg
profferedgasgangexcuse.g(AgWestlawgsearchgcasesgfindsghundredsgofgexamples).gExamplesginclud
e:gDelucogv.gDezig(Conn.gSuper)g(lackgofgknowledgegregardinggthegstate‘sgusuryglawsgisgnogexcus
egforgtheginclusiongofgangillegalginterestgrategingagsalesgcontract);gandgPlumleegv.gPaddockg(ignora
ncegofgthegfactgthatgthegsubjectgmattergofgthegcontractgwasgillegalgwasgnotgexcuse).gThegcourtsgha
vegprovidedgagsmallgexceptiongtogthegrulegwhengitgcomesgtogpeopleginglackgofgEnglishglanguagegs
kills.gConsidergFlanerygv.gKuska,g(defendantgdidgnotgspeakgEnglishgwasgadvisedgbygagfriendgthatg
anganswergtogagcomplaintgwasgnotgrequired);gRamongv.gDept.gofgTransportation,g(nogEnglishgandg
anginabilitygtogunderstandgtheglawgrequiredgforgangexcuse);gYurechkogv.gCountygofgAllegheny,g(Ign
orancegandgwithgthegfactgthatgthegmunicipalitygsufferedgnoghardshipginglateglawsuitgfilinggwasgange
xcuse).
Answers to Case Questions
g g g
1. FactsgfromgangEnglishgjudge’sgdecisionging1884:g“ThegcrewgofgangEnglishgyacht ... weregcastgawaygin
agstormgongtheghighgseasg.g.g.gandgweregcompelledgtogputgintogangopengboat. .Theyghadgnogsupply
ofgwatergandgnogsupplygofgfood.g.g.g.gThatgongthegeighteenthgdayg.g.g.gthey suggestedgthatgone
shouldgbegsacrificedgtogsavegthegrest.g.g.g.gThatgnextgdayg.g.g.gtheyg.g.g.gwentgtogthegboy putgagknife
intoghisgthroatgandgkilledghimg.g.g.gthegthreegmengfedgupongthegbody . ofgthegboygforgfourgdays;g[then]
thegboatgwasgpickedgupgbygagpassinggvessel,gandg[they]gweregrescued.g.g.g.gandgcommittedgforgtrial
.g.g.g.gifgthegmenghadgnotgfedgupongthegbodygofgthegboygtheygwouldgprobablygnotghavegsurvivedgtog
begsogpickedgupgandgrescued,gbutgwould
............................................................ havegdiedgofgfamine.gThegboy,gbeinggingagmuchgweaker
condition,gwasglikelygtoghavegdiedgbeforegthem......Thegrealgquestiongingthisgcaseg[is]gwhethergkilling
undergthegconditionsgsetgforth ..... begorgbegnotgmurder.”gDogyougconsidergthegactsgtogbegimmoral?
[Reginagv.gDudleygandgStephens,g14gQueensgBenchgDivisiong273g(1884)]
Answer:gThisgpointsgoutgthatgtheglegalgsystemghasglimits.gItsgacceptabilitygisgdictatedgbyglegalgculture--
whichgdeterminesgwhetherglawgwillgbegenforced,gobeyed,gavoided,gorgabused.gItgisglimitedgbygthegi
nformalgrulesgofgthegsociety--
itsgcustomsgandgvalues.gOneglimitgisgthegextentgtogwhichgsocietygwillgallowgthegformalgrulesgtogbegi
mposedgwhengagcrimegisgcommittedgingoddgcircumstances.gHeregtheregwasgangintentionalgmurder.
©g2022gCengage.gAllgRightsgReserved.gMaygnotgbegscanned,gcopiedgorgduplicated,gorgpostedgtogagpubliclygac 1
cessible
website,gingwholegorgingpart.
, gDoesgthegmotivegforgthegmurder,gthegeffortgtogsavegseveralglivesgbygsacrificinggone
©g2022gCengage.gAllgRightsgReserved.gMaygnotgbegscanned,gcopiedgorgduplicated,gorgpostedgtogagpubliclygac 2
cessible
website,gingwholegorgingpart.
, life,gmakegitgagcrimegthatgshouldgbegpunished?gNotgallgcrimesgaregtreatedgthegsame.gItgalsograises
gquestionsgaboutgthegdesirabilitygofgnotggivinggjudgesgflexibilitygingsentencing.
TheregwasgagprecedentgforgaglightgsentencegingthisgcasegingU.S.glaw:gU.S.gv.gHolmes,g20gF.gCas.g
360g(No.g15383)g(C.C.E.D.gPa.g1842).gThegcaseginvolvedgagsinkinggoceangliner.gSeveralgpassenge
rsgmadegitgtogthegonlyglifeboat,gwhichgwasgfargtoogovercrowded.gThegcaptaingdecidedgtogsavegtheg
womengandgchildrengandgthrewgseveralgmengoverboard.gTheglifeboatgwasgrescued.gTheggrandgjury
grefusedgtog indictgthegcaptaingfromgmurder,gonlygforgmanslaughter.gHeggotgagsixgmonthgsentence.
ThegBritishgjudgegingthegcasegheregimposedgthegdeathgpenaltygupongthegpersongwhogsurvived.g
Thegjudgegfoundgitgdifficultgtogrulegthatgeverygmangongboardghadgthegrightgtogmakeglawgbyghisg
ownghand.gThegCrowngreducedgthegsentencegtogsixgmonths.
2. Smokinggisgagseriousghealthghazard.gCigarettesgareglegal.gShouldgcigarettegmanufacturersgbegliabl
egforgthegseriousgillnessesgandguntimelygdeathsgcausedgbygtheirgunavoidablygdangerousgproducts,g
evengthoughgtheygpostgagwarninggongthegpackagegandgconsumersgvoluntarilygassumegtheghealthgr
isksgbygsmoking?g[Cipollonegv.gLiggettgGroup,gInc.,g505gU.S.g504g(1992)]
Answer:gTheggeneralgrulegthatgexistsgnowgisgthatgsincegtheggovernmentghasgorderedgthegpostinggofgwa
rningglabelsgongcigarettes,gandgsincegthegdangersgofgsmokinggaregwellgknown,gconsumersghavegb
eengwarnedgandgaregnotgduegcompensationgifgtheygkillgthemselvesgbygsmoking.gThegCippolinegcas
e,gsincegreviewedgbygthegSupremegCourt,gappearsgtogbegofglimitedgimpactgsincegthegvictimgwasga
djudgedgtoghavegbecomegaddictedgtogcigarettesgbeforegthegwarningglabelgwasgorderedging1964.gIfg
cigarettegmakersgweregheldgresponsiblegforgallghealthgproblemsgassociatedgwithgcigarettes,gthen,gli
kegalcoholgandgothergdangerousgproducts,gthegdamagesgwouldglikelygbegsoghighgitgwouldgeffective
lygbangthegproducts.gPresumably,gingagfreegsocietygifgadultsgaregclearlyginformedgofgthegrisksgofgpr
oductsgthatgcannotgbegmadegsafe,gtheygacceptgthegrisk.gTobaccogandgalcoholgproducersgcannotgta
kegthegdangersgoutgofgthegproductsgexceptgatgthegmargingbygencouraginggresponsiblegdrinkinggan
dgtheglike.gAregdrugsglikegcocainegdifferent?
3. Twogeight-year-oldgboysgweregseriouslyginjuredgwhengridinggHondagmini-
trailgbikes.gThegboysgweregridinggongpublicgstreets,grangagstopgsign,gandgwereghitgbygagtruck.gTheg
bikesghadgcleargwarningglabelsgongthegfrontgstatinggtheygweregonlygforgoff-
roadguse.gThegmanualgstatedgthegbikesgweregnotgtogbegusedgongpublicgstreets.gThegparentsgsuedg
Honda.gThegsupremegcourtgofgWashingtongsaidgonegbasicgissuegexisted:g“Isgagmanufacturergliable
gwhengchildrengareginjuredgwhilegridinggonegofgitsgmini-
trailgbikesgongagpublicgroadgingviolationgofgmanufacturergandgparentalgwarnings?”gIsgitgunethicalgtog
makegproductsglikegmini-
trailgbikesgchildrengwillgusegwhengwegknowgaccidentsglikegthisgwillghappen?g[Baughngv.gHondagMot
orgCo.,g727gP.2dg655gSup.gCt,gWash.,g(1986)]
Answer:gThegcourtgfoundgnogliabilitygforgthegmanufacturers.gTheregwasgnogdefect;gthegproductgwasgsaf
egforgintendedguse.gSafetyginstructionsgweregclear;gthegparentsgletgthegboysgridegthegbikes.gAnythi
nggcangbegdangerous--
baseballsgaregdangerousgwhengtheyghitgtheghead,gswingsgaregdangerousgwhengkidsgjumpgoutgofgt
hem;gtheregisgonlygsogmuchgthatgcangbegdonegtogmakegtheggovernmentgtheg―nationalgnanny‖gasgt
hegWashingtongPostgoncegsaidgaboutgexcessivegconsumergprotection.gParentsgmustgacceptgaghig
hgdegreegofgresponsiblegforgtheirgowngchildren.
4. JohnsongControlsgadoptedgag“fetalgprotectiongpolicy”gthatgwomengofgchildbearinggagegcouldgnotgw
orkgingthegbattery-
makinggdivisiongofgthegcompany.gExposuregtogleadgingthegbatterygoperationgcouldgcausegharmgtogu
nborngbabies.gThegcompanygwasgconcernedgaboutgpossibleglegalgliabilitygforginjurygsufferedgbygba
biesgofgmothersgwhoghadgworkedgingthegbatterygdivision.gThegSupremegCourtgheldgthegcompanygp
olicygwasgillegal.gItgwasgang“excusegforgdenyinggwomengequalgemploymentgopportunities.”gIsgtheg
Courtgforcinggthegcompanygtogbegunethicalgbygallowinggpregnantgwomengwhogignoregthegwarnings
gtogexposegtheirgbabiesgtogtheglead?g[UnitedgAutogWorkersgv.gJohnsongControls,g499gU.S.g187g(1
991)]
Answer:gThegCourtgheldgitgagformgofgsexgdiscriminationgtogpreventgwomengofgchild-
bearinggagegfromgholdinggthegmoregdangerousgjobs.gThegcompanygarguedgthatgitgdidgthisgtogprote
©g2022gCengage.gAllgRightsgReserved.gMaygnotgbegscanned,gcopiedgorgduplicated,gorgpostedgtogagpubliclygac 3
cessible
website,gingwholegorgingpart.
, ctgitselfgfromgpossiblegliabilitygingcasegofgdamagegtogbabiesgandgthatgthegdecisiongwasgethical.gTh
egreplacementsgforgthesegworkersgweregoftengmengorgmoregseniorgwomen,gwhogtendedgtogbeghig
hergincomegworkers,gsogthis
©g2022gCengage.gAllgRightsgReserved.gMaygnotgbegscanned,gcopiedgorgduplicated,gorgpostedgtogagpubliclygac 4
cessible
website,gingwholegorgingpart.
