1. Law and classifications

2. Aim – How law is classified and its impact
A) Explore what is the law
B) How it is classified
C) Appreciate how laws work on many levels
D) Apply some of the knowledge to a basic scenario

3. A) What is the law? law noun (RULE)
 ”a rule, usually made by a government, that is used to order the way in which a society behaves”
Cambridge law dictionary

4. Why have it?
Express “right” and “wrong” behaviour/standards in a country
Protection people/rights
Settle disputes between citizens
Provide a sense of order and structure
To punish (criminal)
To compensate (civil)
Etc…..

5. Is it important? It affects every aspect of our lives
How we live, work and even socialise
Affects you before you are born and after you die
Helpful to consider how it is categorised or classified
Classifying law is like looking at a bowl of fruit, how?

6. B) Classifications - not an easy task

7. Much depends on context
Analogy (like) looking at the bowl
Fruit can be categorised by colour, size, origin
BUT
There are overlaps e.g. lemons and bananas are yellow but lemons are citrus fruits, bananas are tropical
Bananas thus could fit into another category of tropical fruit, mango which are orange/green in colour
Like fruit, understanding the category depends on how you choose to classify them

8. Law covers a wide area – C) The layers

9. Classify via International law or National law – referred to Public International Law
External relations between states and international institutions e.g. UK and China, UK and UN. Usually via Treaty / Conventions / Custom / Usually via consent Regulates The sea, telecommunications, transportation of people, goods, transfer of money between states, war etc. The E.U. works at this level (at least until 23rd June 2016)

10. Classify via system Civil system
- Used in continental European countries via Roman Empire
- Law created by state as collection of codes via principles stating the law
The judge interprets and applies them
Common law system
UK system exported to colonies e.g. USA and Commonwealth
Based on case law and judges setting and developing the law according to cases before them

11. Classify via source
Common law (see earlier) was via case law – made by judges = precedent
Statute law – made by democratically elected Parliament
Equity – deals with limits of common law and allows law to develop on fairness and good conscience
Some areas are mainly common law e.g. Murder / Contract law
In reality a situation involves a mix of these e.g. Employment law

12. Classification via public and private law

13. National law can be public or private
Public law
Constitutional Powers of government and organs / UK has no Written constitution but guidelines and conventions
Relation between individual and state “detention must be lawful”
Administrative Individual and government departments that administer policy e.g. NHS
Criminal prohibits anti-social behaviour

14. Private / Civil law
Contract Rights and obligations of people entering into contractual agreements
Tort Impose standards of behaviour on individuals on Duty of Care – failure leads to breach
Succession Law of wills
Family Controls private relationships marriage, partnerships, children, termination of partnerships
There are lots of others

15. D) Application of law Where do these cases fit in?
1 Nazeem makes a will leaving money to his sisters and brothers
2 Jim is guilty of murder
3 UK and Spain sign a treaty
4 Jo knocks down a pedestrian via driving too fast on the way to work
5 Tom and Barry decide to terminate their civil partnership
6 Cass operates on a patient after drinking at lunchtime and the patient dies as a result

16. Classification affects language of the law

17. Aim – How law is classified and its impact
A) Explore what is the law
B) How it is classified
C) Appreciate how laws work on many levels
D) Apply some of the knowledge to a basic scenario