Students interested in a career in law and public affairs will be introduced to the range of possibilities in public affairs and legal issues in the public sector.  This program will examine concepts such as federalism, judicial review and the delegation of power.

The legal and public affairs academy offers a set of courses that give students the background to appraise and understand the American political and legal systems. It examines the law as it cuts across themes central to other disciplines and examines how law permeates social, political, economic, and other institutions. Students discover how decisions are made by these institutions and policy is created, and they develop skills in advocacy, research, problem solving, writing, and critical thinking. Students are also exposed to a global perspective on law and justice, comparing American legal issues and policies to those of other cultures. Students will be able to discover what career opportunities are offered for students in legal and public affairs studies:  professions in policy and regulation, advocacy, non-profit agency work, government agency work, legal offices for municipalities, or government organizations. Students may also continue to further develop their studies in such fields as public administration, policy studies, management, political science, and law when pursuing college degrees. A graduate with a degree in Law and Public Affairs is qualified to work as a lobbyist, a city and regional planner, a public or program administrator, a volunteer coordinator, a community outreach coordinator, law firm work - public interest or otherwise, and/or to do corporate work.

The primary content for the course pertains to the study of the components and processes associated with the American legal system and the comprehensive examination of the civil and criminal justice systems. Content should include, but is not limited to, the historical antecedents for law, reason for laws, civil and criminal law, social values and their impact on the establishment and interpretation of laws, causes and consequences of crime, comparison of adult and juvenile justice systems, significance of the Bill of Rights to the American legal system, family and consumer law, rights and responsibilities under the law, and importance of the adversarial relationship in American jurisprudence.

The primary content for the course pertains to the study of major legal precedents and evolving judicial interpretations associated with the United States Constitution. Content should include, but is not limited to, the evaluation of historical and contemporary constitutional dilemmas through an analysis of legal documents, processes and cases; an examination of the evolution of constitutional government from ancient times to the present; a historical review of the British legal system and its role as a framework for the U.S. Constitution; the arguments in support of our republican form of government, as they are embodied in the Federalist Papers; an examination of the constitution of the state of Florida, its current amendment process, and recent amendments approved by Florida voters; a comparison between the constitutional frameworks of other nations with that of the United States; a review and application of major Supreme Court decisions and the impact of both majority and minority opinions; the understanding of constitutional concepts and provisions establishing the power of the courts including separation of powers, checks and balances, the rule of law, an independent judiciary, and judicial review; and appellate processes and procedures to address constitutional questions.

The primary content for the course pertains to the examination of the American legal system and the nature of specific rights granted under the United States Constitution. Content should include, but is not limited to, the historical antecedents of laws and the basis for the creation of laws, the background, principles and applications of the United States Constitution, the rights protected by the Constitution and precedent-setting cases related to these rights, the process for enacting criminal laws at the state and local levels, the stages of the criminal justice system, the government and private agencies which provide services to individuals accused of crimes, the citizen's role in the legal system, the role of women and diverse cultural groups within the justice system, and careers in the justice system.

The grade 9-12 International Law course consists of the following content area strands: American History, World History, Geography, Humanities, Economics, and Civics and Government. The primary content for the course pertains to the analysis and comparison of the different legal and political concepts, systems, and operations across countries and ideologies; how these structures affect international relations, and how legal disputes between countries are settled. Content should include, but is not limited to, the comparison of major political ideologies (communism, fascism, socialism, and democracy) from historical and ideological perspectives, an evaluation of the fundamental characteristics of legal and governmental systems throughout the world emphasizing specific elements of constitutionalism including: rule of law, the rights of the people, the separation and sharing of powers, an independent judiciary with the power of judicial or constitutional review, the role and function of government and the citizen in each system, the nation-state system, the need for laws, adversarial versus inquisitorial systems of justice, and the role and function of the international court system.

The purpose of Advanced Placement Comparative Government and Politics is to help students gain knowledge of the world’s diverse political structures and practices. The course encompasses the study of the government and politics in Great Britain, France, the Russian Republics, China, and an emerging nation. Emphasis is placed on the general concepts used to interpret the key political relationships found in virtually all national politics.  Specific content to be covered will include, but not be limited to, the nature and sources of governments’ legitimacy, historical evolution of political traditions, the transmission of political values, the basis and institutional expression of social cleavages, the role of citizens in political life, the institutions of national government, role of political parties and interest groups, the sources, nature, and consequences of political change and the methods of comparative political analysis.