What Is Law?
Law is a body of rules and principles that govern the way people behave. It can be used to prevent and punish crime, protect people’s rights, regulate commerce and society and ensure that businesses operate fairly.
Law can be written by a government or made up of codes that are agreed upon by a governing body. There are several kinds of laws, including criminal law, family law and property law.
Regulation is the act of regulating or controlling something, such as electricity, gas, water and telecomms. This is often done by the government to ensure that it is fair for everyone to use it.
Religion is a source of legal rules and often acts as a guide to other law through interpretation (Qiyas, Ijma and precedent). The Jewish Halakha and Islamic Sharia are examples of religious precepts that form the basis for legal systems across the world.
A right is a legal entitlement to something, such as freedom from discrimination or the right to a certain level of compensation in case of injury. There are two main ways in which a right can be established: through “acts of law” and through judicial decisions.
In many countries, the legislature and executive branch write and enforce laws. State courts can review these laws and decide if they are valid or not.
Court decisions are important for analyzing law and its effect on society. They are a wealth of information for scholars and students, since they offer a unique perspective on the actions of various stakeholders.