Law is a system of rules enforced through social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior and ensure that individuals follow the will of the state. Law may be created by a collective legislature, resulting in statutes, or by individual legislators, resulting in regulations and executive decrees, or by judges through case law, as in common law jurisdictions. Law serves four main purposes: establishing standards, maintaining order, resolving disputes and protecting liberties and rights. Law can be divided into categories: criminal law; civil law; labour and employment law; constitutional and administrative law; and property law.
The field of Law is based on complex theories of right and wrong, justice and fairness which are not easily verifiable. This makes the field of Law particularly susceptible to error.
Judges are often referred to as the “depositories of the law” because they are bound by oath to decide cases according to the law of the land. Judges’ decisions are often recorded in a log called a docket.
Jurists and lawyers specialize in particular fields of the Law. Legal work involves advising people about the Law, representing clients in court and giving decisions and punishments. The profession of Law is increasingly attractive to young people.