Law is a set of rules that regulate behavior and are enforced by social and governmental institutions. Different cultures and religions refer to law as a science, art, or a combination of both. The creation of state-enforced laws can involve group or single legislators, the executive through decrees and precedents, or the judicial branch through statutes. Private individuals can also create legally-binding contracts. Here are a few common legal systems and their definitions.
Rule of law
While the term ‘Rule of Law’ is often used to describe the government, it also refers to the general principle that citizens are expected to abide by the norms and rules of the legal system. According to Bingham, the Rule of Law is achieved when everyone is subject to the same laws and regulations and is thus guaranteed equal protection and opportunity under the law. A nation should strive to achieve the following three characteristics to achieve its ideal of ‘The Rule of Law’:
Civil law
The roots of civil law go back to mainland Europe, and the system was eventually adopted by much of the world. Civil law originated as an intellectualized system within the Roman law framework, and serves as the primary source of law. Although the earliest forms of civil law were not so successful, they eventually became the most popular and commonly used systems today. Here are some of the key principles behind the development of civil law. This article explores these principles in greater detail.
Common law
In the 19th century, common law created specific forms of action. In such cases, the opening pleading, called a writ, must fit into one of these forms of action. These types of actions include debt, detinue, covenant, special assumpsit, and trespass on a case. In addition, the opening pleading must comply with technical requirements in order to make it successful, including fitting into a specific legal pigeonhole and using certain magic words.
International law
Although the UN Security Council has a general authority to impose a resolution, it has no centralized dispute settlement mechanism. The Security Council exercises its enforcement powers only on the consent of the parties involved. The UN Charter imposes a number of conditions and restrictions on international law, including its use of force. International law does not have an international police force. The UN is responsible for enforcing its decisions through peaceful means. It has no supreme executive authority or centralized dispute settlement mechanism.
Election law
The study of political science and constitutional law intersect to form the field of election and electoral law. This subfield of law is concerned with the politics of law and political science and examines how elections are regulated. Some concepts of election law focus on who has the right to vote, and how those votes are tabulated. However, election law also involves a wide variety of other topics. For example, it may focus on how political campaigns are funded and whether voters are required to provide proof of identity.
Consumer law
A good example of this is consumer protection laws. Consumer protection laws were put in place to protect buyers from unfair practices. These laws are often the result of legislative efforts to protect buyers. They also help protect the public by setting standards for what constitutes a fair product or service. Listed below are some common consumer protection laws:
Competition law
Under competition law, firms can not engage in certain kinds of conduct that can lead to lower prices for consumers. These activities may be anticompetitive and may result in a ban on the activity. The antitrust laws prohibit such acts, such as price gouging and predatory pricing, and they can also prevent mergers and acquisitions between large companies. Under competition law, such practices may be prohibited by government regulations, or by private agreements between competitors.