The law is a set of rules that a society or government develops to deal with issues like crime, business agreements, and family relationships. People who work in the law may be attorneys, judges, or police officers. The word law can also refer to the system of laws themselves or to specific legal areas, such as criminal law, civil rights, or terrorism.
The purpose of law is to establish standards, maintain order, resolve disputes, and protect liberties and rights. However, some people believe that the law should also incorporate moral values. For example, the principle of fairness and due process (fundamental fairness and decency in government actions) is often cited as a moral stance.
Regardless of whether the law should incorporate moral values, most people agree that it must be consistent and predictable. Otherwise, it would be impossible to enforce. The law must be fair to all citizens, and it must apply equally to rich and poor alike. It must also be objective and not depend on the whims of individuals or the preferences of a particular group.
Different societies have developed many different sets of laws. Some, such as the United States, employ a common law system, where laws are based on judicial decisions rather than on statutes or regulations. Under this system, laws are compiled into a book called case law, which is binding on all courts, and judges follow a strict system of reasoning that must be followed in future cases, a concept known as stare decisis or “law made by judge”.
In contrast, some countries have adopted a civil law system. Under this system, statutes and regulations are written by legislators, but the final word on a legal issue is usually reserved for a court decision. Judges in this system write shorter, less detailed decisions, but they follow a strict system of reasoning that must apply to all future cases.
Most jurisdictions have a mix of law systems within their borders. For example, a state may have its own laws on marriage and divorce, but it may also adopt and use federal law in other areas, such as intellectual property or telecommunications. A federal system usually focuses on issues that are expressly granted to the federal government in the Constitution, such as the military, money, foreign relations (including international treaties), and mail.
The law is a complex and diverse subject. It includes ancient customary practices, which are legally binding, as well as modern judicial decisions and precedents. It also encompasses philosophical theories, such as utilitarianism and natural law, that have influenced the development of Western civilization. In addition, the law covers many areas of public and private life, from driving on the left side of the road to obscene phone calls, from Miranda warnings to search warrants. This diversity makes it difficult to define the law in a single way that is applicable to everyone.
