Law is the system of rules in a country or community that regulates people’s actions. It covers many different areas, from criminal and commercial law to family and employment law. The study of law includes examining the history of laws and the development of legal systems, as well as researching current affairs in the field. Lawyers and judges are among the professions who specialise in law.
In modern societies, the majority of laws are created and enforced by governments and agencies elected (chosen) by governed peoples. However, there are other forms of law, such as religious law and customary law based on ancestral traditions. These laws are often based on human rights and ethical principles.
The study of law is a complex subject. Different countries have different systems, and individual judges and lawyers will have their own opinions on a case. This makes it difficult to give a definitive definition of law, but there are some common themes.
A basic definition of law is a set of rules created by the state that form a framework to ensure a peaceful society. These rules are enforced by mechanisms created by the state and sanctioned if broken.
The main branches of law are contracts, criminal, constitutional and statutory. Contract law outlines the rules that govern agreements between people, and can be as simple as an agreement to share a ride home. Criminal law deals with punishing people who break the law, and constitutional law outlines the powers of government and how it should be divided between different departments. Statutory law is more complicated, as decisions made by courts only have binding power in the jurisdiction where they are made, and non-binding persuasive authority in other jurisdictions.