law

 

 

a collection of rules laid down by the government, binding all members of the state, including members of the government itself -- includes criminal and civil law

courts

 

 

governmental institutions charged with interpreting the law

legal systems

 

 

general, organized sets of legal principles

case law

 

 

a legal system emphasizing the independence of the judiciary from the rest of the government.  Precedents are an important part of current law for governments with case law

code law

 

 

a legal system emphasizing a relative subordination of the judiciary to the rest of the government. Legal interpretation consists primarily of reading and applying codes of legal statute passed by the parliament

 habeas corpus

 

 

the right not to be held indefinitely by the police without being formally charged with a crime

Sharia

 

 

Islamic law, based on a set of rules for moral conduct developed over the first few centuries after the death of Muhammad

criminal law

 

 

the body of law involving charges that persons have disobeyed a law prescribing proper conduct.  In criminal law the state brings the case, against an individual defendant who is charged with a crime

civil law

 

 

the body of law regarding relations between people; cases may include disputes about contracts, suits for damages in injury, divorce, and so on

constitutional law

 

 

the body of law regarding the nature of the political process and whether laws and governmental actions are consistent with constitution