Law is the discipline and profession concerned with the customs, practices and rules of conduct that are recognised as binding by a community and enforced through a controlling authority. It covers a range of issues, including criminal justice, labour, property, and contracts. The term can also be used more broadly to refer to a body of rules and regulations in a certain place, such as a country or region.
The laws of a state are usually codified and enforceable through the judiciary, while the laws of a corporation are generally enforced by their board of directors. In many countries, the laws of a religion are enshrined in religious texts, such as the Bible or Torah, and enforced by a cleric.
In human societies, law permeates all aspects of life, influencing relationships, governance, commerce, and individual rights. This wide scope makes law one of the most important topics for study and discussion, requiring attention to diverse areas of research and debate.
Articles that examine the underlying foundations of law include legal philosophy; legal history; and law, theory of. Articles that look at specific areas of law include constitutional law; property law (personal and real); contract law; and family law. Law is also examined in terms of its effect on social structures, examining issues like censorship; crime and punishment; and war.
A nation’s laws are intended to achieve a variety of goals: keeping the peace, maintaining the status quo; protecting minorities against majorities; preserving individuals’ rights; and providing for peaceful social change. The success of a nation’s legal system often depends on its relationship with other social structures, such as its economic, political and cultural structure.
The law is a field that encompasses many different subjects and has an ever-expanding significance in society. Law encompasses the principles, policies and guidelines regulating a country’s citizens as well as its business partners. This is why Oxford Reference provides an extensive range of entries covering all aspects of law, from criminal law and taxation to international law and family law. Our law entries are written by experts and trusted by researchers at every level. They are concise and clear, and they include a variety of helpful tools such as charts and chronologies where appropriate. In addition, we provide cross-references to related articles. These links are highlighted in the article where appropriate, so that users can explore a subject in greater depth if they wish to do so. This helps readers to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the law as it applies to their interests and work. This helps them to better support their own views and arguments when they are writing or presenting on law. Our aim is to help you find the information you need quickly and effectively, so that you can focus on what matters most to you. We have more than 34,000 law entries, covering everything from legal terminology and definitions to the latest developments in law and policy. This content is freely available to all our users.