Law is a set of rules created by the state which form a framework to ensure a peaceful society. If these rules are broken they can be enforced and sanctions imposed.
There are many different views of what constitutes the law and several books have been written about it. In general, the law consists of the customs, practices and rules that a community agrees to follow. It is the societally sanctioned and enforced order that governs a country and defines the relationships between its citizens.
The main functions of the law are establishing standards, maintaining order, resolving disputes and protecting liberties and rights. Different legal systems serve these functions differently. For example, an authoritarian government may keep the peace but might oppress minorities or resist social change. Conversely, a democratic government can promote social justice but might be weak or corrupt.
Generally, laws can be either civil or criminal. Civil law deals with disputes between individuals, while criminal laws deal with offenses against the national or local community itself. For instance, an individual might sue another person for damages after being injured or having their property destroyed. Such cases are covered by civil law, whereas crimes like murder, robbery and burglary are criminal laws.
Law can be created by legislators, resulting in statutes; by the executive, resulting in decrees and regulations; or through case law by judges, in common law jurisdictions. Private individuals can also create legally binding contracts, including arbitration agreements, which offer alternatives to standard court litigation.
Lawyers and legal scholars have a wide range of opinions about what the law is, and there are many areas of practice. However, the most important aspect of a lawyer’s job is to represent clients in their litigation. To do so, lawyers must know and understand the law thoroughly. This involves interpreting it, analyzing it and applying it to their clients’ situations.
The law is a complex subject with multiple layers of complexity. One of the biggest challenges is determining who has the power to make and enforce laws. This depends on the political system of a nation-state, and there are frequent revolts against existing political-legal authority.
Other important aspects of the law are determining which materials are admissible in courts for trials and hearings and deciding what type of evidence is appropriate for particular cases. There are also many areas of specialty in the field, such as labour law, which studies a tripartite industrial relationship between worker, employer and trade union; family law, which covers a variety of issues concerning the relationships between spouses; and tort law, which concerns compensation after an injury or destruction of property. Lastly, the discipline of law has sub-fields such as administrative law, forensic science and international law.
