Law is the body of rules a society recognizes as binding on its members and enforced through a controlling authority. It includes laws passed by the legislature, as well as legal decisions made by courts of justice (judiciary). The study of law is known as jurisprudence.
The word law comes from the Latin jus, meaning right or just. The legal system is a complex social institution whose purpose is to serve a variety of purposes, including satisfying certain social wants and promoting social change. The laws of some nations, such as those of autocratic regimes, may also oppress minorities or opponents.
Legal studies include various fields of law, including contracts, criminal, civil, family, employment, labour, maritime, property, and constitutional law. A lawyer is a person who advises clients about the law and represents them in court. Lawyers must be licensed by the state in which they practice.
Some law terms are defined in the dictionary as follows:
precedent – A decision made in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court; it ordinarily governs the outcome of a similar future case unless a party can show that the prior ruling was wrongly decided or that it differed significantly in its facts or issues. Generally, a higher court’s ruling will be binding on lower courts, although exceptions do exist.
affidavit – An affidavit is a statement of fact that is submitted in a court for use as evidence in a lawsuit. A judge must review a affidavit to determine its authenticity and if it meets the standards for admissibility in court.
evidence – A collection of materials presented in support of a claim, such as documents, photographs, recordings, testimony and other physical objects. Evidence can be either direct or circumstantial. Direct evidence is based on direct personal observation, while circumstantial evidence is inferred from other sources, such as other witnesses’ accounts or the defendant’s actions.
legal process – The steps a litigant must take to file a lawsuit, such as filing an initial complaint and summons for a trial or hearing. It also includes the rules for discovery, which are the rights of the parties to access information that could help build their case.
The term law has many layers of complexity, from ancient to modern. A fascinating example of the latter is the debate about whether our judicial system should be less influenced by politics and more focused on fairness to all. In addition, a number of current topics are attracting attention in the field, such as the use of torture to extract confessions from suspects and the extent to which lawyers should represent their clients’ best interests in court.