Roles and Function of Law

Roles and Function of Laws
The major function of the law is to control and promote order in a society. According to Merriam Webster Online, law is "a binding custom or practice of a community; a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority." According to Reference.com (2007), law is defined as: "rules of conduct of any organized society, however simple or small, that are enforced by threat of punishment if they are violated. Modern law has a wide sweep and regulates many branches of conduct." Essentially law is the rules and regulations that aid in governing conduct, handling disputes, and dealing with criminal actions.
Roles of Law. Other functions of law include: peacekeeping; checking government power and promoting personal freedom; facilitating planning and the realization of reasonable expectations; promoting economic growth through free competition; promoting social justice; and protecting the environment (Mallor, Barnes, Bowers, and Langvardt). It is important to note that without laws to govern the actions of people and businesses, society would not be able to function effectively, and commerce would likely collapse. Although the general functions of law appear to be rather simple, the United States legal system is actually very complex. Laws are broken down into several different types. These include constitutions, statutes, common law, administrative regulations and decisions, treaties, ordinances, and executive orders.
A constitution is the overriding law, because it establishes the fundamental principles of a government at either the state or federal level. This includes creating the branches of the government, bestowing and refusing certain powers to each branch, and preventing other governmental units from passing certain laws, specifically those which limit individual rights. A statute is a law enacted by elected representatives of the legislative branch of government....