Law is a set of rules that are enforced by social institutions and government officials. It shapes economics, politics, and history. Legal issues often arise when people face family issues, money issues, or problems at work.
The term law is sometimes defined as the art of justice. This definition has been used to describe the work of lawyers and legal philosophers. However, ordinary people may not emphasize these features.
The term law is also used to refer to a body of rules and norms that is promulgated as public knowledge. These include laws, regulations, and contracts. In the United States, these regulations are published in the Code of Federal Regulations.
Some of the most common legal issues are those related to money, immigration, and housing. Other issues include criminal laws, marriage and divorce, and employment rights.
Legal systems vary from country to country. In general, they can be separated into civil and common law systems. Common law systems are characterized by a doctrine of precedent, the notion that decisions of one court bind future decisions of other courts.
There are a number of differences between case law and law based on statutes. Case law is based on concrete facts and judicial decisions, while law based on statutes is written in an abstract manner.
Some people are concerned about the independence of the judiciary. They argue that legal institutions should be available to ordinary people and should be able to protect them from abuses of power by politicians and government officials.