Throughout history, law has been referred to as an “art of justice” or “science.” It is a set of rules that are enforceable by governmental institutions, social institutions, or private individuals. It shapes the economics, history, and politics of a society.
Law can be broken down into three categories: civil, common, and international law. Civil law legal systems are typically shorter and less complicated, requiring less judicial decisions. Common law legal systems are more detailed and require more extensive judicial decisions.
Law is often a source of further law through interpretation. For example, the Quran acts as a source of further law through interpretation and reasoning by analogy.
Law is also a source of further law through consensus and religion. For example, Jewish Halakha and Islamic Sharia are sources of further law through religious precepts.
Law is also a source of future law through the doctrine of precedent. This doctrine says that decisions made by a court bind future decisions made by other courts. The United States federal government uses this doctrine to enforce regulation. The federal government has a responsibility to make health care pricing information available to the public. It also requires health care employers to set diversity goals.
Law can also be broken down into two categories: public international law and private international law. Public international law includes laws that govern international trade, finance, and international commerce. Private international law includes laws that govern international business transactions.