The law shapes politics, economics, history and society in many different ways. It is also the mediator of relations between people. Laws may be shaped by constitutions, written or tacit; by the power to enforce them (which is derived from political authority), or by aspirations for democratic rule and greater rights for citizens. Revolts against existing laws are a recurring feature of political life.
Often laws are based on the customs, practices and experiences of groups of people. The rules of inheritance are an example of a socially inherited law. Some laws are based on the principles of natural justice or the will of a god: these are referred to as moral law.
Most nations use a common law system where judges decide legal cases. Those decisions are then used as precedent in future cases. Other countries use civil law where statutes and codes determine the legal process. Some jurisdictions allow a mixture of common and civil law.
Laws govern the relationships between people and between private and public entities. They are usually governed by the state, but private individuals and organisations may create legally binding contracts. Private law may also cover the rights of the individual: these include employment law, privacy law and intellectual property. Laws governing money and business are called commercial law. The law may also govern the rights of a person in a family or the relationship between a parent and child: these are called family law and children’s law.
Almost all laws require a degree of interpretation. Judges decide which facts matter and how to interpret those facts in a case. The law may be stated in a statutory framework, which is usually a collection of terse statements of principle and guidelines. Or, as in a common law jurisdiction, it may be determined through the process of locating previous decisions on a particular set of facts and reasoning by analogy.
Some of the most important functions of the law are dispute resolution and the punishment of criminals. Dispute resolution involves arbitration, mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution as well as trials and appeals. The punishment of criminals is a key function of the police and the courts. Most societies have a number of social services that are regulated by the law, including water, electricity and gas. The regulating body is typically the local council or government agency. The law may also set standards for financial regulation and banks. It is not uncommon for the law to include minimum capital requirements, rules about best practice and regulations on interest rates and lending. The law may also govern the activities of companies and trusts. It is a very diverse field of study. There is also a growing body of research in biolaw, which is the intersection between the law and the life sciences. This field is developing rapidly and is becoming more integrated with other disciplines such as biology and pharmacology. These developments are making the practice of law more complicated and demanding.