Portal:Law

Portal:Law is a comprehensive guide to the legal system and its various components. It provides an overview of the different areas of law, including criminal law, civil law, constitutional law, and international law, among others.

Overview

Law is a system of rules created and enforced by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior. It has been defined both as "the Science of Justice" and "the Art of Justice". Law is a system that regulates and ensures that individuals or a community adhere to the will of the state.

Types of Law

Criminal Law

Criminal law involves the prosecution by the state of wrongful acts which are considered to be so serious that they are a breach of the sovereign's peace.

Civil Law

Civil law is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals and/or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim.

Constitutional Law

Constitutional law is a body of law which defines the role, powers, and structure of different entities within a state, namely, the executive, the parliament or legislature, and the judiciary.

International Law

International law is the set of rules generally regarded and accepted as binding in relations between states and between nations.

Legal Systems

Different jurisdictions have different legal systems. The two main legal systems in the world are Common Law and Civil Law System.

Common Law

Common law is a body of law derived from judicial decisions of courts and similar tribunals.

Civil Law System

Civil law systems, also called continental or Romano-Germanic legal systems, are found on all continents and cover about 60% of the world.

See Also

• Legal History
• Legal Theory
• Legal Ethics