Types of Law

Types of law

The law enable a society to function harmoniously and efficiently. It is a system whose role is to guide individuals and groups, protect their rights and responsibilities while ensuring their activities go on smoothly. Laws are essentially the main arbitrator of people’s relations in the modern society. Since the law affects lives in different ways, it has been classified into two main types; Criminal law and Civil law, each of which contains several other classifications.

Below is breakdown of the types of law

  • Criminal law

Types of lawCriminal laws are designed to protect a society from wrongful actions commonly referred to as crime. Criminal law is proactively enforced by the police on a day to day basis. Criminal laws include the following:

1. Traffic/road laws: Examples include laws that prevent against drunk driving, speeding, illegal use of an airplane, driving in an unregistered vehicle, willful damage of vehicles, not wearing a helmet, not stopping for pedestrians, failure to properly indicate etc.

2. Public order laws: This type ensures peace and safety in the community is maintained. Examples include laws on drug use, public decency (sleeping on the streets), carrying of weapons in public, dry areas, rioting, protesting and marching while staying non-violent, defamation (saying or writing false and negative information about someone to harm their image and character), assault (physical harm/ attack).

3. Property laws: Used to protect against destruction of property. Examples of laws on property include: trespass, vandalism, arson, theft (larceny), intentional damage, littering etc.

4. People laws: These laws protect people from harm. They include laws on murder, rape, suicide, passive smoking, sexual abuse etc.

  • Civil lawsTypes of law

They are designed to solve disputes that occur between individuals and/or groups. They make use of set up institutions such as courts with the help of well trained personnel. Civil laws include the following sub-types:

1. Contract law: Basically made to define conventions of getting into agreements and assuming certain responsibilities due to the agreements. Once a person is in a contract they may not break the contract. Examples include laws on business contracts, fishing licenses, misleading advertisements, marriages etc.

2. Employment law: They are set to define accepted practices on hiring and firing, fair duties, providing equal opportunities, number of work hours etc.

3. Family law: They protect against abuse of children, provision for their needs, domestic violence, registration of births, custody of children etc.

4. Law of Torts: Examples on this type of law includes compensation for such things as dog biting, accidents, injury on your property.