Law is a set of rules, regulations and guidelines enforced by a sovereign government or other authority to ensure that individuals and organizations comply with social norms and are punished when they do not. The term can also refer to the body of laws that relates to particular topics, such as criminal, civil, or family law. Laws are usually created through legislative bodies, which represent the interests of members of a community or nation. Once enacted, laws are implemented by law enforcement agencies and interpreted by courts.

The origins of the word law date back to ancient times, when rulers relied on customs and traditions to maintain order in their communities. As societies grew more complex, they developed formal laws to regulate behavior and ensure that justice was served if a rule was broken. Today, law is a source of study in many academic disciplines, including history, philosophy, political science and economic analysis.

Various theorists have offered different definitions of law, with some believing that laws are an end in themselves while others view them as a means to achieve something else. Almost all theorists agree that a central function of law is to secure justice.

Idealistic definitions of law often focus on the idea that the primary purpose of a legal system is to establish a set of principles that are binding upon everyone in a society and that these laws will be enforced by a supreme court or other government entity. These definitions of law are typically rooted in the belief that laws create a just society by ensuring that all people have equal access to government services and that they are not abused by powerful interest groups.

A more realistic interpretation of law views it as a tool that is used to resolve disputes within society. This theory believes that conflict is unavoidable in a world of people with different ideas, values, and interests. The law provides a formal means of resolving these conflicts, which is the court system.

The law is not necessarily a set of written laws that are easily enforceable in all circumstances, as it may be based on individual judgments by judges in particular cases. This is the case with common law, which is a collection of legal decisions made over time in specific cases. The law is also flexible and can be modified according to changing times or unique circumstances.

Other types of law include statutory, constitutional and international law. Statutory law is created by legislatures, and constitutions and international law are sets of principles that guide the functioning of a nation or region. There are also specialized areas of law, such as canon law and Jewish law. Articles about these subjects provide in-depth coverage of the topic and can help readers become more knowledgeable about how law functions in each area.