Fivefold Functions of the Law

Law is the set of rules for conducting business and behaving responsibly in society. The rules are given to people by local, state and federal governments or other authority figures.

1. Law keeps the peace making certain harmful actions crimes. Law shapes the morals of people in general. The rules give people a guide stick to help decide what is right or wrong in a situation. Some may disagree with some current written laws but in order for the greater whole to experience peace, the individuals need to follow them.

2. Some laws promote social equality by making things fair with job and business practices. Laws prevent people from becoming victims of discrimination and have a fair chance of defense.

3. Law keeps the order of authoritarian bodies in governments functioning at acceptable levels. Laws prevent overthrowing of governments at all levels. Balance and checks are put into place so that decisions are evaluated by merit, logic, public opinion and at times, debate.

4. Law manages natural resources, air space and commercial activity to help ensure survival as a whole.

5. Rules provide provisions and contingencies for just about every situation dealt with in life and because of that, laws provide a framework where compromise can be met before too much expense is had from either party.

Law is not perfect. Lawmakers at every level try to redefine, streamline and make law more effective and beneficial to the people. During the process, some laws may omit information that is important to some and not to others. These are omissions are called loopholes and sometimes the loopholes are exploited by one party in an effort to receive the maximum benefit or avoid maximum penalty he or she may be facing.

Lawyers carefully study law in various areas such as tax law, family law, commercial law and more. It is beneficial for individuals to consult with lawyers when needing information on the law as it pertains to their specific situation. It is not always affordable however. In those cases, individuals must try to obtain the information either via other who have had similar experiences or by doing their own research within law libraries and court rulings.