The law is a set of rules that regulates human behaviour and is enforced by a central authority through penalties. It shapes politics, economics, history and society in a variety of ways and acts as a mediator between people in social disputes. It also governs the relationship between a country and its citizens, ensuring that there are basic standards of equality and protection for all.
Different countries have different laws, resulting in a wide variety of legal systems throughout the world. The system of law used in a country may be created by a group legislature, resulting in statutes; established by the executive, resulting in decrees and regulations; or compiled from judicial decisions (called case law in common law jurisdictions) through a process known as stare decisis; or, in civil law nations, derived from codes of conduct that specify how judges are to come to their decisions. Private individuals may also create legally binding contracts, such as arbitration agreements, that are alternative methods of resolving disputes to standard court litigation.
A legal system can be classified as either civil, criminal or constitutional. Civil law, as the name suggests, is based on civil rights and relates to private issues between citizens such as property transactions or divorces. Criminal law covers crimes against a person or persons, such as murder or robbery, and is dealt with by the police. Constitutional law deals with the foundations of a nation and its government, such as the principles of democracy and freedom of speech.
Despite the wide diversity of legal systems, there are many shared features of law. Most, for example, have a constitutional court which ensures that the law is applied fairly and equally to all citizens. In addition, a constitution sets out basic rules and procedures for the functioning of the state and its institutions.
Another feature of law is the existence of checks and balances to prevent the government from abusing its power, such as a free press and independent judiciary. This helps to ensure that the law serves its principal function as a framework for peace and security in a nation.
Moreover, the law is usually written and recorded in a variety of forms, such as statutes, regulations, codes and case law, to provide for the widest possible range of circumstances and situations. This provides the greatest level of flexibility for a country to respond to changing times and situations without losing the core principles that underpin the law.