Law is a set of rules that are created and enforced by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior. It has been variously described as a science and an art of justice.
The term law was first used in the Old Testament to describe the commands and regulations of the Mosaic covenant, which were intended to keep God’s people on the right track. It is also the word used by the New Testament to refer to the particular laws that Christ and his followers had to follow in order to be saved from the sins of the world.
Generally, the term “law” refers to a set of rules that are established by the government or society over a certain territory. These rules are used to control the human behaviors in that society, especially crime, business, social relationships and property.
A common law system is based on concepts, categories and rules that are derived from Roman law, though it can also be supplemented by local customs or traditions. These systems are found in about 60% of the world’s countries, although they have been increasingly secularized over the centuries and have become more focused on individual freedom.
A legal right is a claim or in some sense an entitlement to a particular good. It may be a right to health, to education, to a decent standard of living, or to security from violence or harassment. It may also be a right to privacy or a right to free speech.