Role and Functions of Law

610 Words3 Pages
Role and Functions of Law LAW/421 Role and Functions of Law Businesses and society runs smoothly for the most part due to the guidelines, rules and laws that have been established. As long as businesses and people in society follow these laws they stay out of trouble however when these laws are broken that it when the role and functions of the law are truly shown. Before understanding the roles and functions of the law it is important to understand the definition of law, according to Merriam Webster Online law is defined as “a binding custom of practice of a community; a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority" (Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 2013). The role and function of law is to maintain peace, personal freedom and social justice which is achieved through a variety of types of law. Constitutional law, statutory law, common law, and administrative law are all made up of different bodies of government to help achieve the roles and functions of law. Constitutional law is the foundation for all other law in the United States and is supreme law of the land who’s function is the establish a structure of federal and state government, granting specific powers for the different branches of government, and providing procedural protections for the U.S.citizens from the government (Melvin, 2011). Statutory law is created by a legislative body and approved or disapproved by the executive branch of government (Melvin, 2011). Common law is essentially law made by courts; that is, law that has not specifically been passed by the legislature, but rather law that is based on the fundamentals of previous cases that had similar facts (Melvin, 2011). Administrative law is the source of law that authorizes the exercise of authority by executive branch agencies and independent government agencies (Melvin,
Open Document