Law is the system of rules a society or government develops to deal with crime, business agreements, and social relationships. It is a set of principles governing people and things, and it protects basic individual rights like liberty and equality. If you break the law, you can be fined or sent to jail.
Legal systems may include a mixture of criminal and civil law, or they may be based solely on one type of law. Countries that have a criminal only law system are known as common law countries, while countries that only have a civil law system are called civil law countries. Civil law countries tend to have codified law, where the laws are written down in books that are easily accessible and understood.
For example, the United States has a common law and a civil law system. Common law is a collection of legal rules that governs all types of lawsuits, including divorce, property disputes, and car accidents. Civil law is a more specific set of rules that governs personal injury claims, contracts, and other non-criminal issues.
A country’s legal system can also be determined by its culture and custom. For example, some countries that do not have strong formal justice systems rely on customary law. This is a complex set of practices that varies by region and is based on longstanding local customs. It often involves informal mediation and arbitration and does not always involve a court trial.