The Law is a broad field that touches almost every aspect of life. It deals with the rules that govern the community and the conduct of individuals. In practice, laws are applied to prevent and resolve conflicts and injustices. Generally, law is split into three basic categories: criminal law, civil law, and evidence law. While the three areas may seem somewhat similar, they are very different and can have different implications for a person’s life.
The goal of law is to protect citizens from injustice and ensure that societies are orderly. It helps prevent conflict by providing a peaceful way to resolve disputes. For example, courts decide who owns property and protect the rights of the real owner. Ultimately, laws ensure a healthy and safe society by enforcing the same rules for everyone.
The practice of law is typically regulated by the government or an independent body. To practice law, lawyers must obtain a special qualification and pass a bar exam. Typically, a bachelor’s degree is required, or a Juris Doctor degree. There are other, higher academic degrees that can lead to a law license, including the Bar Professional Training Course and a Master of Legal Studies.
Generally, common law legal systems recognize decisions of the executive branch and courts as “law,” and they include the doctrine of precedent, which holds that decisions of higher courts bind the lower courts and the same court in future cases. Civil law legal systems use judicial decisions and legislative statutes, which are often shorter and less detailed than common law. Civil law judges generally rule on a single case and do not write precedents, so they have fewer details to consider.
