Law has many different purposes, but one of the most basic purposes is to protect people and property. Basically, it protects people from abuses of power and protects them from injustice. A law should be easy to understand and be available to the public, as a body of norms that regulates conduct. Moreover, law should be free and transparent, so that ordinary people can use it to settle disputes or protect themselves from abuse of power.
Rule of Law
Rule of law is a fundamental concept that governs society. Its fundamental principles include the presumption of innocence, independent judicial systems, and strong independent legal professions. These principles help people live free lives and plan their affairs. They also prevent official arbitrariness. The ABA calls on its members to support the Rule of Law.
While Rule of Law is a very abstract concept, people value it. Rule of law makes power less arbitrary, predictable, and peremptory. It establishes a reciprocal bond between rulers and ruled, which mitigates the asymmetry of power in politics.
Legality
In a legal system, legitimacy is an important feature to consider in evaluating an agreement. It is the first consideration in contract drafting and guarantees that the parties have agreed to an agreement that complies with the applicable law of the jurisdiction. This legitimacy is established through the collective force and cohesiveness of a culture.
Legality is a central feature of legal systems and is important for understanding the role of law in our society. This is the foundation for a strong rule of law, which ensures that all participants are treated equally. This is essential for ensuring that justice is done fairly and no one is harmed.
Forms
Legal forms and legal checklists are invaluable to attorneys, especially for the preparation of contracts and other legal documents. Forms are written in standardized language and can help save time and effort for attorneys. Often, lawyers use them to help them draft contracts, but they are often used by other people in addition to attorneys.
Forms for law can be found online or in print. The San Francisco Law Library maintains a comprehensive Law Practice Management Collection (LPM) collection that includes sample forms and documents to help legal professionals run their practice. The Law Library also has a legal forms guide that highlights each topic within the LPM collection.
Procedures
Procedures in law are the procedures that are used in the legal system to resolve disputes. These procedures include serving documents, conducting trials, and filing complaints. The Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary defines legal procedure as “the means by which the legal system implements its rules to carry out its mission.” In the criminal justice system, for example, legal procedures are important because they help impose penalties. Through trials, a defendant is given the chance to present his or her case and the judge renders a decision.
The primary purpose of procedural rules is to promote the ends of justice. The United States Constitution requires that legal proceedings follow due process, which is a requirement of procedural law. This principle is reflected in the structure of the rules of civil procedure.
Substantive ideals
Law has two distinct components: procedural and substantive. The former is a matter of the separation of powers in society; the latter is a matter of the administration of norms. In a nutshell, procedural law is about determining rules of justice. While the latter is a matter of flexibility and lacks a universal quality, the former is a more essential element of the rule of law.
Substantive equality focuses on the distribution of resources equally among people of similar status. This relates to Aristotle’s postulate that like cases should receive equal treatment. Substantive equality also favors women, structurally disadvantaged groups, and racial minorities. While this is not an exact science, it is an important principle.