Law is the set of rules and regulations that govern a society. These are generally enforced by the government. The laws are used to regulate business, social relations, property, and finance.
The main purpose of law is to provide a means for people to interact peacefully. It also helps in resolving disputes, avoiding conflict of interest and provides legal protection for citizens.
There are many different types of laws that can be found throughout the world. These include civil law, criminal law and labour law.
Definition of law
In general, law refers to the principles and regulations established by a government that apply to people and are enforceable through judicial decision. These can be in the form of legislation, custom and policies that have been recognized by a government or are based on common law.
Essentially, law is a system of rules that regulate behavior and can be classified into two categories: descriptive and substantive. The former covers the rules encompassed in itself, while the latter outlines the applicable procedure.
Descriptive law defines the rights and duties of the parties while setting out the mechanism of relief for a wrong. This can be further divided into the law of torts, contract, marriage, penal code and so on.
Substantive law outlines the offenses and endorses the penalty for them. It can be further classified into the law of torts, contract, statute of limitations, evidence act/ordinance and so on.
The main purposes of law are to serve the needs of a society, facilitate and effectuate the rule of law in governance, promote good governance, accountability and transparency and advocate equity among the members of a society.
It is a system of rules that govern behavior and can be divided into three categories: written law, unwritten law and codified law.
Written Law: This is the codified or formalized law that is contained in official documents such as the constitution of a country, acts of parliament and international agreements. It is the most well-known of the three.
Usually, written law prevails over unwritten law and is generally considered to be the most authoritative of the two.
Treatise: A scholarly legal publication that provides in-depth commentary and analysis on a particular area of law. These can be very useful sources to research when you need a deeper understanding of a topic or are looking for an answer to a specific question.
Other sources can include secondary resources that discuss and explain laws, but do not establish them. These sources may be law review articles, handbooks or guides that provide an overview of a topic with the major cases and statutes.
Primary Sources: When conducting legal research, it is important to find the primary source for each source you use. This can be done by examining the sources closely and determining which one will give you the information you need.
When you are using a primary source, you need to be sure that the laws outlined are current and accurate. In addition, you should check that the source includes citations to cases, statutes and other forms of law that will help your search. This is especially important when you are researching a new area of law or a complex issue.
