Law is a collection of rules that governs society and the human condition in general. It covers everything from crimes to business, family, property and finance. Laws are created and enforced by government or social institutions. They can be written and codified in statutes, enacted by the executive through decrees or regulations, or interpreted by judges in the case of common law systems that recognize court decisions as laws.
A law is a rule made by an authority that everyone must obey or face punishment. For example, stealing is against the law in most places and can result in a fine or jail time. A law can also be a moral or ethical principle.
The precise definition of law is a matter of debate. Utilitarian philosopher Jeremy Bentham described it as “commands, backed by the threat of sanctions, from a sovereign, to whom people have a habit of obedience.” Philosophers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued that laws are rooted in natural processes that are moral and unchanging.
The study of law covers a broad range of topics, from legal theory to the structure and history of individual and national legal systems. Articles about specific types of law include contract law, which regulates agreements for the exchange of goods or services; tort law, which deals with civil wrongs such as injury to person or property; and constitutional law, which analyzes the limits on governmental power. Other articles treat legal training, the practice of law and legal ethics.