Law is a set of rules that are created and enforced by social or governmental institutions to regulate behaviour. A variety of legal systems are in use worldwide.
The term law is used to describe a number of fields that deal with governing people’s behaviour, such as immigration and nationality, property and criminal law. It also includes social security, family and inheritance law.
Depending on the specific field of law, laws may be made by a government or a group of people, or they can be established by judges. They can also be established through legislation, decrees or other forms of precedent, particularly in common law jurisdictions.
There are three main categories of law, which are all regulated by different sets of standards and conventions: general law, civil law and criminal law.
General law is the law of a society, such as a country or state. It covers the rules that govern all aspects of the public’s life, including what people are allowed to do and how they can be punished if they break the rules.
This includes the constitution, which sets out what is regarded as the rights and duties of citizens. It also covers the system of courts that can be used to resolve disputes.
Business law is a branch of law that deals with business and finance. It is a complex field, covering issues such as company formation and maintenance, contract law, the sale of goods and services, intellectual property, taxation and insolvency.
Typically, the law is overseen by a government or a regulatory body, such as the bar association or a law society. Lawyers are the professionals who enforce these laws and represent people in court.
They are trained in the law and receive a licence to practice it. They can be employed by governments or private companies and are paid for their work.
Commercial law is a special type of business law that covers the regulation of the commercial activities of businesses and organisations. It is a very important part of the world’s economy and has a long tradition in Europe and North America.
Property law is a branch of law that focuses on the rights to land and other property, such as vehicles and buildings. It is split into two parts: real property (the property itself) and personal property, such as movable items like computers and jewellery.
A right to a specific piece of land, such as a house or a building, is known as a right in rem. This means that if someone steals your land, you can claim compensation for it.
In contrast, a right to money or possessions that cannot be physically taken, such as the right to own a share in a company, is called a right in personam.
This is the basis of property rights in the modern world, but it was also a key concept under Roman law.
In a society that is committed to the rights of its citizens, the role of law is to protect these rights. This is a very important principle in modern societies, and there are many laws to protect people’s rights and make sure they can live safely and without fear of harm.