law
Also known as body of law, legal system, legal regime
Law is a set of rules that are created and enforced by governmental or societal institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the art of justice. State-enforced laws can be made by a legislature, resulting in statutes; by the executive through decrees and regulations; or by judges' decisions, which form precedent in common law jurisdictions. An autocrat may exercise those functions within their realm. The creation of laws themselves may be influenced by a constitution, written or tacit, and th
AI overview
Law is a set of rules created and enforced by governmental or societal institutions to regulate behavior, though experts have long debated its precise definition and nature. It matters because it provides the framework through which societies maintain order, establish justice, and govern how people interact with one another and with their institutions.
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Article
38 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Philosophy of law
- Analytical jurisprudence
- Connection to morality and justice
- History
- Legal systems
- Civil law
- Common law and equity
- Religious law
- Canon law
- Sharia law
- Socialist law
- Legal methods
- Legal institutions
- Judiciary
- Legislature
- Executive
- Law enforcement
- Bureaucracy
- Legal profession
- Civil society
- Areas of law
- International law
- Constitutional and administrative law
- Criminal law
- Contract law
- Torts and delicts
- Property law
- Trusts
- Intersection with other fields
- Economics
- Sociology
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Bibliography
- Further reading
- External links
Law is a set of rules that are created and enforced by governmental or societal institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the art of justice. State-enforced laws can be made by a legislature, resulting in statutes; by the executive through decrees and regulations; or by judges' decisions, which form precedent in common law jurisdictions. An autocrat may exercise those functions within their realm. The creation of laws themselves may be influenced by a constitution, written or tacit, and the rights encoded therein. The law shapes politics, economics, history and society in various ways and also serves as a mediator of relations between people.
Legal systems vary between jurisdictions, with their differences analysed in comparative law. In civil law jurisdictions, a legislature or other central body codifies and consolidates the law. In common law systems, judges may make binding case law through precedent, although on occasion this may be overturned by a higher court or the legislature. Religious law is in use in some religious communities and states, and has historically influenced secular law.