Law is a system of rules created by a government that establishes standards, maintains order, resolves disputes and enforces penalties. Laws govern a wide variety of activities, from a person’s ability to obtain a job to the way they can dispose of their own property. A career in law can be very rewarding but there are many challenges and opportunities to consider before taking the leap.
The definition of law varies from person to person, as legal systems differ greatly and individual attitudes towards what constitutes the law change over time. Nevertheless, there are certain fundamentals that most people agree on. The most widely accepted law definition is that laws are commandments, backed by threat of sanctions, from a sovereign to which people are bound to obey. This view, first advanced by John Austin and influenced by Jeremy Bentham, dominates utilitarian theories of law today.
Another prominent law definition is that law is a means of social control. This idea, first articulated by Roscoe Pound, emphasizes that the purpose of law is to satisfy social wants, but that it also is coercive because of its nature as a system of rules.
There are several types of laws that exist around the world, depending on the governing system. The United States uses a common law system, in which case laws are derived from judicial decisions that are published and codified into the US Code. Some countries, such as Japan, use a civil law system in which the courts follow specific codes that set out how judges should decide cases.
Some of the most important laws are those that protect people’s rights and liberties. Tort laws, for instance, provide compensation when an individual or their property is harmed, whether by an automobile accident or through defamation. Criminal law provides punishment for offenses against the state or its citizens.
Other laws are administrative in nature, such as those that establish tax regulations and procedures or regulate interstate commerce. Regulatory bodies, such as the Federal Trade Commission, create these laws by creating regulations that are then published in the Federal Register and codified into the Code of Federal Regulations. Many lawsuits turn on the interpretation of such regulations, and judicial decisions that interpret a statute or regulation carry legal force under the Chevron doctrine.
Other areas of law include family law, which covers marriage and divorce proceedings as well as the rights of children, and property law, which defines the ownership of tangible assets. Contract law, for example, is concerned with agreements to exchange goods or services, and intellectual property law deals with the ownership of inventions, designs and trademarks. Biolaw, on the other hand, is concerned with laws that relate to biology and human life. Laws can also be made by the legislature, the executive branch or by individuals. For more information on these types of laws, see the articles on the respective subjects.