Law is the set of rules and practices enforced by social or governmental institutions in order to govern human behavior and actions. These laws regulate crimes, business agreements, and social relationships. Laws are also known as legal codes, statutes, and guidelines. A legal code or statute is a written document that defines the law and can be enforced by a court.

Laws are the foundation for healthy communities of justice, opportunity, and peace. The concept of the rule of law, traceable to ancient scholars, resonates in most major legal traditions. Its four universal principles are accountability, just law, open government and accessible and impartial justice. The rule of law is reinforced by a system of legal scholarship and education, custom and practice, the institutions of civil society, and partnerships between government and the private sector.

One of the main controversies over the definition of law is the extent to which it incorporates morality. Utilitarian theorists, such as John Austin, argue that law is simply “commands, backed by the threat of sanctions, from a sovereign, to whom people have a habit of obedience.” Others, such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Jeremy Bentham, argued that laws should reflect a natural morality, and that these innate laws can be discovered through a rational process.

Other controversies about the meaning of law center around whether a court must interpret a law in light of its social and cultural context, or whether it is more important for courts to apply the law as they see it. A third issue is the extent to which courts should apply a “living law” approach, in which courts make adjustments to the legal system in response to changing social conditions.

Some of the societal viewpoints about the role of law include the need for laws to promote morality, protect property rights, and provide economic security. Other viewpoints are more focused on the role of law in establishing trust in the marketplace and in the community, as well as its power to create freedom and democracy.

Legal systems vary by region, reflecting local traditions and historical contexts. A common feature, however, is a legal profession that provides citizens with advice, representation and justice, and a system of courts to settle disputes. The law is an integral part of a democratic and prosperous society, and the career of a lawyer can be very rewarding.