Law is a system of rules which are used to regulate behavior in a society. These rules are usually enforced through governmental agencies and social institutions.

Law can also refer to the practice of a specific profession. Law is often thought of as a form of power, which is backed by threats. However, legal realism holds a different view. It argues that economic and social considerations should be brought into the judicial process.

Generally, law is defined as a set of rules or statutes, which are written and promulgated by government authorities. Statutes can be made by the executive through decrees and regulations or by the legislature through laws.

Some people believe that law is simply a set of rules, whereas others argue that law is a form of coercion. Although the two definitions are similar, there is an important difference.

The distinction between law and regulation is that regulation is an abstract concept that describes the management of a complex system, while law is a written, structured and organized subject matter.

While laws are passed by legislative bodies, case law is a set of rules that govern a particular subject, based on previous decisions, rulings and precedents. In some cases, these rules may be reversed and amended.

Moreover, there are various types of legal systems. They include civil law, criminal law, and common law. Each of these is discussed in some articles. Common law, for example, has been applied to topics such as divorce, immigration, and debt.