Law is a set of rules that are created and enforced by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior. It has been described as a science and as the art of justice. Law is a major source of scholarly inquiry in such fields as legal history, philosophy and economic analysis. Law shapes politics, business and society in many ways, and raises complex questions about equality and fairness. The precise definition of law is a matter of longstanding debate. Law includes civil and criminal laws, the former dealing with conduct considered harmful to social order and the latter with disputes between individuals or organizations.
Besides providing the means to resolve conflicts and to ensure a safe society, it establishes standards and protects people’s liberties and rights. It is a vital part of the human social structure and the foundation for all public institutions, including the military, police and government bureaucracy. The law also provides a way to determine ownership of land and property, and to settle claims and disputes.
Legal systems vary, with some countries having a civil law system and others having a common law system based on judge-made precedents. Some jurisdictions have religious laws derived from scripture that play a role in settling some secular matters.
In practice, law is not only a set of formalized rules but also the sum of all past and current legal decisions and opinions. A salient principle of the law must be backed up by legal authorities that include domestic or foreign statutes and judicial decisions, case law, law dictionaries, treatises on specific subjects, obiter dictum and commentaries written by law authors.
While there are a number of important aspects to law, some general considerations for writing articles about law apply generally:
Scannability: Use headings and subheadings to break up the text. This makes it easier for readers to scan the article and decide whether it is relevant to their needs. Avoid big legal jargon that will only confuse the reader.
Answer the FAQs: If you have frequently asked questions about a particular topic, try to answer them in your article. This will make your article more useful to the general reader and may even encourage them to read the entire article.
A lawyer is a person who practices law, and there are several types of lawyers. The most common are lawyers who specialize in criminal law, business law or family law. There are also lawyers who specialize in international law and lawyers who work as a public defender or prosecutor. Other specialties of lawyers include patent law and insurance law. There are a variety of law schools that offer degree programs for those interested in becoming lawyers. The highest degree of achievement for a lawyer is a Doctor of Law. The terms Esquire and Barrister are used to signify a lawyer of greater dignity. Lawyers who obtain a Master of Law or a PhD in Law are called legal scholars. They often write books or articles about the law.
