Laws shape almost everything around you, from traffic lights to school rules to the products you buy. This badge helps you see where laws come from, how courts work, and how people get legal help. You'll talk with real people and maybe even watch a trial.
Why it's worth it
Laws decide who can drive, what's in your food, and what happens when a company sells you something broken. This badge shows you how those rules get made, how courts settle disagreements, and how ordinary people find help when they need it. You'll watch a real court or run your own mock trial, talk with a lawyer, and learn to argue a point with evidence. That's useful whether you become a lawyer, a police officer, a business owner, or just a voter.
Start this week
- Write down five rules or laws you followed today, like a speed limit, a school rule, or an age rating on a game, and who made each one.
- Ask your Scoutmaster for the name of a Law counselor, and send them a short message with a parent copied to set up a first meeting.
- Ask a parent to help you check whether your local courthouse has public sessions you could watch for requirement 6.
- Make a list of five people you could ask about law enforcement for requirement 4, like a teacher, a neighbor, a coach, a friend's parent, and one person from your own family. Only one can be from your immediate family.
Requirements · 11
Every official requirement and part, numbered to match Scouting America, in plain language. Sign off against the official wording (opens in a new tab) (updated 2025).
- Requirement 1
Define law, tell where some laws come from, and describe what law does for society
Tip: Think about the rules in your home, school, and town. Which ones are laws, who made them, and what problems do they solve?
For example: Show where laws come from with real examples: the Constitution, a law passed by Congress, a state law about bike helmets, a city ordinance about noise, and a court decision that sets a rule for future cases.
- Requirement 2
Legal history. Choose 2 of 3
Tips for this section: Choose a topic that sounds interesting to you, like an ancient legal code or a famous trial, and read about it at the library.
Example for this section: If you pick 2a, put the Code of Hammurabi, Justinian's Code, and the Magna Carta on a timeline. Explain what each said, who it protected, and which of its ideas you can still see in laws today.
- Requirement 2a
Discuss the Code of Hammurabi, Justinian's Code, and the Magna Carta
- Requirement 2b
Discuss how the jury system developed
- Requirement 2c
Discuss 2 famous trials from history
- Requirement 3
Tell what civil law and criminal law are, the main ways they differ, and give examples of each
Tip: Come up with a simple example of each kind of case, like a broken contract and a theft, and explain how they're handled differently.
For example: Civil case: a neighbor's tree falls on your fence and they won't pay to fix it, so you sue for the cost. Criminal case: someone breaks into a car, and the government charges them. Explain who brings each case and what the outcome can be.
- Requirement 4
Ask 5 people (no more than 1 from your immediate family) what role law enforcement officers play in society. Talk over their answers with them and report what you found to your counselor
Tip: Ask a mix of people, such as a neighbor, a teacher, and a relative, then notice where their views agree and differ.
- Requirement 5
Discuss with your counselor several laws that protect buyers and sellers, and describe several organizations that help consumers and sellers
Tip: Look at a product label or warranty at home and talk about what protections a buyer has if something goes wrong.
For example: Pick a product at home, like a phone or a toy, and find its warranty. Explain what a buyer can do if it breaks, and which government agency or consumer group you could contact if the company won't help.
- Requirement 6
See the law in action. Choose 1 of 2
Tips for this section: Many courthouses let the public watch. Go with a parent, or set up a mock trial with your patrol using a simple made-up case.
Example for this section: For a mock trial, use a simple made-up case like "Who ate the patrol's dessert?" Assign a judge, two lawyers, witnesses, and a jury. Each side gives an opening, asks questions, and closes, and the jury decides.
- Requirement 6a
Sit in on a criminal or civil court session and write at least 250 words about what you saw
- Requirement 6b
Plan and hold a mock trial with your troop, class, or another group, then discuss it with the group afterward
- Requirement 7
Arrange to meet a lawyer employed by a bank, business, government agency, or title company. Learn about their duties and responsibilities, and report what you learned
Tip: Write your questions ahead of time, like what a typical day looks like and what they like most about their work.
- Requirement 8
Explain what it takes to become a lawyer in your state and how your state chooses its judges
Tip: Look up how judges get their jobs in your state, since it can be by election or appointment.
- Requirement 9
List 15 jobs connected to law or the legal process. Tell which one you like best and why
Tip: Brainstorm jobs beyond lawyer and judge, like court reporter, paralegal, or police officer, then pick one and explain why.
- Requirement 10
Tell where people who can't pay for a lawyer can get legal help, and what to do if you could pay a lawyer but don't know one nearby
Tip: Find out about legal aid groups and bar association referral services in your area.
For example: List places that offer free or low-cost legal help, like a legal aid office, a bar association referral service, or a law school clinic. Explain who each one serves and how a person would contact them.
- Requirement 11
Areas of law. Choose 2 of 11
Tips for this section: Pick two areas that connect to your interests, like environmental law or intellectual property law, and share what each one covers.
- Requirement 11a
Discuss with your counselor why administrative law matters in our society
- Requirement 11b
Discuss with your counselor why alternative dispute resolution matters in our society
- Requirement 11c
Discuss with your counselor why bankruptcy law matters in our society
- Requirement 11d
Discuss with your counselor why biotechnology law matters in our society
- Requirement 11e
Discuss with your counselor why environmental law matters in our society
- Requirement 11f
Discuss with your counselor why family law matters in our society
- Requirement 11g
Discuss with your counselor why immigration law matters in our society
- Requirement 11h
Discuss with your counselor why information technology law matters in our society
- Requirement 11i
Discuss with your counselor why intellectual property law (copyrights, patents, trademarks) matters in our society
- Requirement 11j
Discuss with your counselor why international law matters in our society
- Requirement 11k
Discuss with your counselor why privacy law matters in our society
Places to visit
Ask an adult to set it up, and go with your family, den, patrol, or crew.
A courthouse during a public session
You can see a judge, lawyers, and witnesses in action and how a real case moves forward.
How: Have an adult call the court clerk to ask which sessions are open to the public and what the courtroom rules are. Go with a parent.
A law office or legal aid office
You can see where lawyers prepare cases and learn how they help clients.
How: Have a parent or your counselor contact a lawyer and arrange a visit with a parent or buddy along.
A law school mock trial or moot court event
Students argue practice cases in front of judges, and many events are open to visitors.
How: Have a parent check the law school's events calendar or call the student activities office.
Where it can lead
- LawyerAdvises clients and represents them in court or deals; needs college, law school, and a bar exam.
- JudgeRuns trials and decides cases; most are experienced lawyers first.
- ParalegalHelps lawyers research and prepare cases; often a two-year program or certificate.
- Court reporterRecords every word said in court; a skilled trade with special training.
- Police officerEnforces laws and works with courts; trained at a police academy.
- MediatorHelps people settle disagreements without going to court.
Ask yourself
- What's a law you think is really fair, and one you're not sure about?
- How did watching a court session or running a mock trial change what you thought court was like?
- When the five people you asked about law enforcement disagreed, what did you make of it?
- What did the lawyer you met say that surprised you?
- Which law-related job could you see yourself doing, and why?
Good questions to ask a lawyer or judge
- What made you want to work in law?
- What does a normal day look like, and how much of it is in a courtroom?
- What's a case that taught you something important?
- How do you stay fair to someone you disagree with?
- What skills should I practice now if I'm interested in law?
Helpful reads
- Earning a merit badge, step by step, From picking a badge to getting the final signature: how to find a counselor, set up meetings safely, work the requirements, and keep your progress., Youth · Families · 6 min read
- Contacting counselors, experts, and organizations, Email and phone scripts, who to ask for, how to follow up, and how to say thanks, with a parent copied every time., Youth · Families · 7 min read
- Choosing your next merit badge, How to pick a badge you'll actually finish: start with what you care about, balance Eagle-required and just-for-fun badges, and make the most of camp., Youth · Families · 6 min read
For leaders & parents
- Help scouts arrange a courthouse visit; call ahead to find a session open to the public.
- A patrol mock trial makes a lively troop meeting activity.
People & places that can help
- Merit badge counselor — Talk with them early; they can explain what's expected.
- American Bar Association (opens in a new tab) — Plain-language info about the law and legal careers.
- Local courthouse — Many court sessions are open for the public to watch.
- Federal Trade Commission (opens in a new tab) — Information on consumer protection.
- U.S. Courts Educational Resources (opens in a new tab) — How federal courts work, plus mock trial scripts and activities.
- Legal Services Corporation (opens in a new tab) — Find the free legal aid program that serves your area.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (opens in a new tab) — A government agency that protects people in money deals like loans and bank accounts.
- National Archives: Bill of Rights (opens in a new tab) — The full text of the Bill of Rights.
Pairs well with
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Tips, examples, and questions are ideas from experienced leaders, not extra requirements. Your unit leader or counselor decides when a requirement is complete.