Law is a set of rules that govern human behavior and the relationships between people. It aims to protect individual rights and ensure the well-being of the society.
Various definitions of law exist, but the basic concept remains the same. It is a rule of conduct developed by a government or society to deal with crime, trade, social relations, property and finance.
The term “law” refers to both statutory laws (legislative law) and judicial decisions. Statutes are drafted and adopted through the legislative process, and judicial decisions are usually written by judges for use in trial cases.
Common law, in some countries such as the United States, is based on a system of legal precedents that guide courts deciding cases. This is called stare decisis, or the principle of “standing by decisions.”
Other legal systems, such as civil law, do not use statutes but rely on judges writing to decide single cases. These are often less detailed than statutory laws and may be written to explain the court’s reasoning rather than to set out rules that future courts must follow.
In the modern period, jurists have argued about the purpose and function of law. Many of them believe that the main aim of law is to ensure the securing of justice.
Other scholars, however, argue that law is not a goal in itself, but a means to achieve it. It is a tool that helps the government and the people cooperate to solve problems that cannot be solved with custom alone.