Law serves many purposes, such as maintaining the status quo, preserving individual rights, protecting minorities against majority groups, promoting social justice, and facilitating orderly social change. Some legal systems are better suited to these purposes than others. Authoritarian regimes often abuse law and use it as a tool to suppress political opponents and minorities. In addition, colonialism can impose peace and order in countries that otherwise did not have it. For instance, Britain, Holland, Germany, and France all constructed empires in the past, and used law to enforce their will.
Rule of Law
The concept of the rule of law has a long history, dating back to ancient Greece. In the last twenty years, however, it has become more widely recognized. Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy has even noted that he did not hear the term “rule of law” in law school during the 1950s. As someone who attended law school during this period, I can attest to the significance of such a concept.
Formal
Formal law is the body of law that governs a particular nation or society. It sets the rules of behavior for individuals and groups in a society. In contrast to informal law, which is made up of customs, religious beliefs, and personal judgment, formal law is created by an official institution.
Procedural
Procedural law is the system that courts use to decide civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings. It is also known as remedial law or rules of court.
Substantive
Substantive law governs the behavior of members of a society. It is a distinct branch of law from procedural law, which sets up procedures for making, administering, and enforcing substantive law.
Accessibility
Accessibility law is an important issue for businesses, because it allows people with disabilities to get the same quality of service as the rest of us. In the past, companies that did not follow accessibility standards could be sued. The Equality Act 2010 and its predecessors, which govern the employment and housing of people with disabilities, make this a legal requirement. However, these laws are not yet implemented everywhere. There are a number of small businesses that have been affected by lawsuits.
Uniformity
The purpose of the Conference on Uniformity of Laws was to promote uniformity in the law of Canada. The Conference was created in 1918 and has met annually since then. Its name was changed from the Conference on Uniform Legislation in Canada. The Conference is a unique combination of two organizations with a common purpose.