Law is a body of rules established by a group or government and enforceable by its members to regulate their behaviour. It is a field of study and practice that has been described as both an art and a science. It is the basis of a civil society, and it permeates every aspect of human life. The term is often used to refer to all of a country’s laws, as in “the law against murder” or “law schools”. Law encompasses a wide range of subjects and can be broadly divided into five major categories:
A large portion of law concerns commercial and industrial activities. Banking law, for example, establishes minimum standards for the amount of capital banks must hold and sets out best practice for investment. Regulation of utilities like gas, electricity and water is another area of law. Increasingly, private companies are taking over management of these services from governments and are bound by the same sorts of legal issues as governmental agencies.
Labour law deals with the tripartite industrial relationship between worker, employer and trade union, covering issues such as pay and health and safety. Tort law covers all manner of wrongs that humans can do to one another, a broad category that partly overlaps with criminal law. Civil procedure and evidence law concern the rules that courts must follow in a trial or appeal, including which materials are admissible.
Other areas of law include family and employment, which are primarily dealt with by state legislatures. The Constitution provides broad powers for the federal government in some areas, such as aviation and railroads, and these laws generally preempt state laws in those areas. However, laws such as copyrights and patents are subject to both federal and state jurisdiction.
Law permeates the entire fabric of human civilization and influences relationships, governance, commerce and individual rights. Its diverse fields and evolving nature underscore its significance to the modern world. Oxford Reference offers authoritative, accessible information on the vast field of law, from concise definitions to detailed encyclopedic entries on specific legal topics. Written by experts for researchers at all levels, our comprehensive coverage includes international law, family law, employment law, and major debates in legal theory. In addition, our dictionaries and thesauri provide quick access to key terms and concepts. With more than 34,000 concise definitions and in-depth, specialist encyclopedic entries, our Law content is the most trusted, comprehensive research tool available.