Law is a body of rules, enforced by social or governmental institutions, that regulate behavior. Its precise definition has long been debated, with some describing it as a science and others seeing it as the art of justice. The study of law involves a variety of fields that often overlap and intertwine. Common subjects include labour law (the study of a tripartite industrial relationship between worker, employer and trade union), criminal law and civil procedure (the processes courts follow as trials or appeals are conducted) and evidence law (which determines what materials are admissible for use in court cases). Space law concerns the laws that govern human activities on Earth and in outer space.
The main functions of law are establishing standards, maintaining order, resolving disputes and protecting liberties and rights. Law does this through a combination of legislative and judicial action. The former sets out general rules, while the latter fills in the gaps and adapts the rules to changing circumstances. The political landscape differs widely from country to country, with some societies experiencing aspirations for democracy and greater rights while others remain oppressive or authoritarian.
Generally speaking, the laws of a society reflect its culture and values. While a nation may be defined by its borders, its culture, religion and language influence how the law is written. The practice of law is also influenced by the prevailing political climate. For example, a legal system that is politically unstable may experience an upsurge of rebellions against existing political-legal authority and even outright revolutions.
A central question in the study of law is how law is made and how it is interpreted. While it is generally accepted that a lawyer must understand and obey the rules of the law, there is much debate about how these rules are derived. This is particularly the case in the area of legal philosophy, where scholars attempt to find a link between philosophical ideas and the creation of law.
When writing an article about Law, it is important to keep in mind that the audience of the article will consist of legal professionals, lawyers and judges. This means that it is vital to avoid cliches, as these will not be well received by this audience. Legal readers are exposed to many different texts on a daily basis and can quickly spot whether an author is using cliches or not.
A good article will explain and illustrate the point of a particular issue, while providing readers with a clear and concise summary of the law that is in question. It will also provide detailed footnotes, in order to give readers additional information. This can be particularly helpful for articles that analyse recent changes in the law or those that take a position on controversial legal issues. In addition, a good article will be written in a way that is accessible to all types of legal readers. This will require the writer to be able to write in a way that is interesting, engaging and persuasive to non-legal audiences as well as to legal professionals, lawyers and judges.