The Basics of Law

Law is a set of rules that commands what people are supposed to do and forbids what they shouldn’t do. It is enforced by the power of authority and has been interpreted in many ways throughout history.

The Law is a collection of rules that governs the conduct of human society, covering areas such as property, criminal and civil justice, and judicial procedure. Its roots are in natural jurisprudence and the principles of divine revelation, human nature, and morality.

Blackstone’s view of the types of laws is similar to that of Sir Edward Coke and Bracton, although he used different terminology to describe them. He saw law as consisting of two parts: positive and natural law. The former covers the rules of a society, while the latter is the rule of right reason and the innate law of right action within all humans.

A lawsuit is a legal action brought by a plaintiff against a defendant for breach of duty or other wrong. A judge decides the case by ruling on the plaintiff’s claims and defenses. A defendant may also file counterclaims against the plaintiff. A trial can have multiple witnesses called testifying under oath. A court reporter creates a word-for-word transcript of the trial proceedings. Lawyers for each side are called counsel. A jury pool is a group of potential jurors from which the actual jury is selected through a process called voir dire. A court decision is known as a judgment.