Guide to Law

A legal article is an excellent way to express your views on various issues. However, writing a good article takes more than just knowledge of the law. It requires a good writing style and original phrasing. Moreover, you should avoid using cliches because readers will easily spot them. Instead, try to use phrases and words that are unique to you and your audience.

Legal research online is challenging and fraught with uncertainty. This guide aims to assist law students and other researchers by offering advice and recommendations for conducting online legal research. The information provided in this guide does not constitute individualized legal advice and should be used as a starting point for further research.

The interactive version of this guide is available in CALI Lawbooks.

In compiling this guide, emphasis was placed on sites containing the full texts of laws, regulations, and court decisions, as well as commentary from lawyers writing primarily for other lawyers. Sources that provide general information about government and law were also included, although in some cases the content of these sites has changed or may be out of date. Every direct link was successfully tested before inclusion in this guide, but the operation and reliability of these resources can change without notice. The DMLP is not responsible for the contents of any site that is not directly under its control. Please notify us if you have information about a resource that should be included in this guide.

A lawsuit is a civil legal action brought before a judge in order to resolve a dispute or claim. The court decides the rights and claims of the parties to the suit, or issues a judgment. Judges are government officials with the power to decide lawsuits. Judges at the highest level are called justices, while judges in lower courts are called magistrates or judges.

The most important document in a lawsuit is the complaint. The complaint explains who you are (plaintiff), who or what you are suing (defendant), what happened (factual allegations), and what laws give the court the power to rule in your favor (legal claims). A poorly written complaint can get your suit dismissed at the outset. Chapter Seven has some writing and research tips that can help you draft a more effective complaint.

Throughout the process of litigation, the court relies on precedent. A precedent is a previous court decision with facts and law similar to the case at hand. It is usually binding on the court in which it was decided, but can be overruled or ignored by the court if the party in the later case can show that the earlier case was wrongly decided or differed from the current case in some significant way.

When preparing to file a lawsuit, you must make sure that you have exhausted all available internal grievance mechanisms. You must also find out whether the statute of limitations is tolled for exhaustion, so that you have enough time to bring your suit before it expires.

A national law is a law that exists inside of a particular nation (State). National laws can either come from the government itself (through enactment), or from the courts through decisions made by judges, called case law. A national law can also include an international treaty or law, if that is what the State chooses to do.

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction, nor shall there be any manufacture of any kind of machinery for its purposes. This article of the Constitution voids any law or act of the Government which violates it.

There are a variety of resources available to learn more about federal laws and the lawmaking process in Congress, including finding legislation by name or keyword, researching bills, learning about the impeachment process, and obtaining copies of government files. In addition, there are a number of websites where you can access copyrighted government creative works.

Unlike international law, which is created and enforced by the United Nations and a few other organizations, national law deals with laws and rules that are enforced by the government of one country, like the United States. Professionals who want to work in the field of law should be aware of the distinction between international and national laws, as the former is generally more difficult for individuals to apply in their day to day lives than the latter. International law is usually more specific about conventions and treaties, whereas national law is more focused on acts and constitutions of individual counties or states, and sometimes even cities.

Law is the system of rules enforced through governmental institutions to regulate behavior and ensure that a society adheres to a common moral code. Law may be made by a collective legislature, resulting in statutes, or by the executive, leading to decrees and regulations, or by judges through case law. Law may also be influenced by a constitution, whether written or tacit, and the rights encoded therein.

Law consists of a set of rules, procedures, and processes for determining what is permissible and impermissible, including the right to life, liberty, property, and contract. It applies to both public and private actors and ensures that justice is accessible, equitable, and efficient. It is clear, publicly available, stable and predictable, and reflects the needs of the community in which it operates.

Lawyers are typically hired to solve legal problems and protect the interests of their clients. This involves navigating the complex laws and regulations of the land, making sure their client is treated fairly, and providing sound advice. It is a highly rewarding career that many find fulfilling. They see their clients during some of the most traumatic and stressful times in their lives, and are able to help them overcome these challenges.

There are several perks to being a lawyer, including the ability to make more money than other professions and having a high level of respect from society. However, the main reason people choose to study law is the satisfaction of helping others and putting a stop to injustice.

The law of the sea is the law that governs navigation, shipping, commerce, towage and recreational boating on both domestic and international waters. It covers all vessels regardless of their nationality, flag, residence or domicile and their owners. It is the duty of all maritime nations to render assistance to persons in distress. This duty is especially important in light of the ongoing human tragedy of people dying or missing while trying to reach European countries by way of the Mediterranean Sea route (more than 24000 have died in this manner so far in 2021).

Maritime law, also known as admiralty law, covers shipping accidents that occur on commercial cargo ships and passenger cruise boats. It includes ship owner negligence, piracy, maritime pollution and seaman injuries and wrongful death. Generally, maritime and admiralty cases are handled by federal courts.

The International Maritime Organization was created in 1974 to regulate shipping and trade. Its responsibilities include conventions, rules, laws, insurance, contracts and inspections.

Maritime law has its roots in common law and the law of the sea and is meant to be expanded and elaborated by additional international agreements and the evolving customs of States. It is based on the principle that the Law of the Sea is a framework that allows for judicially originated rules to be treated as if they were enacted by Congress. However, these rules must not be inconsistent with the Constitution or laws of the United States and they must have the effect of bringing admiralty law into line with the other branches of government.

International law defines the legal responsibilities of States in their conduct with each other and in their treatment of individuals within State boundaries. It encompasses a wide range of subjects, such as human rights, disarmament, international crime and refugee issues. It also regulates the global commons, including oceans and outer space, world trade and global communications.

The Charter of the United Nations sets as one of its primary objectives the development and maintenance of international law. To this end, the United Nations General Assembly and the International Court of Justice are the principal deliberative bodies on matters relating to international law.

Among the sources of international law are treaties, conventions, custom and case law. International organizations, such as the United Nations and Interpol, also create binding law through resolutions that address situations threatening international peace and security. International courts and tribunals also issue binding opinions that are enforceable against the states parties to the proceeding.

Lawyers today, regardless of the nature of their practice, encounter an increasing number of international legal issues. The growth of the global economy, modern transportation and communication systems that cross borders and the international presence of corporations increase the likelihood that a matter will have an international dimension. Additionally, the proliferation of international terrorism and other forms of violent and non-violent international criminal activity require greater international cooperation. All of these factors increase the likelihood that a lawyer will encounter, or be asked to advise clients on, international legal issues.

The Law Guide provides answers to Frequently Asked Questions about legal topics using language that is easy to understand. The guide is broken down into various sections so you can quickly find the topic that interests you. Just click on one of the categories below to begin your search.

The Guide to Law Online is an annotated list of useful and reliable sites containing information about law and government. It focuses on sites offering the full texts of laws, regulations, and court decisions, along with commentary from lawyers writing primarily for other lawyers. However, materials related to law and government that were written by or for lay persons also have been included, as have government sites providing general information. The Guide to Law Online is updated regularly. Every direct link on the guide was successfully tested before inclusion. However, because the Internet changes rapidly, some links may no longer work. If you encounter a link that does not work, please contact us so we can capture the historical content in our Web Archive.

This guide is designed to assist researchers in finding articles about the law in electronic form. Periodicals containing law-related material usually fall into one of the following categories: law school reviews; specialized and scholarly journals; bar association journals; commercial journals in specialized fields; or legal newspapers. The guide identifies the best resources for finding these sources and will help you determine whether your library has them in its collection.

A lawsuit is a legal action brought by one person or entity (the plaintiff) against another person or entity (the defendant). It is usually based on a claim that someone has violated the law and/or caused harm to the plaintiff. The plaintiff asks the court to order the defendant to compensate them monetarily for their losses. Lawsuits can be expensive, so you should only file a lawsuit if you have a legitimate dispute that cannot be solved in another way. The law sets a limit on how long you can wait after the events that led to your complaint before starting a lawsuit—this is called the statute of limitations.

When you file your complaint, you need to include the most important facts of your dispute—who, what, where, when, and how. The complaint also needs to describe what you want the court to do for you. If you are requesting money damages, you need to specify how much you want and why you deserve it. You can also request “injunctive relief” to prevent the defendants from doing something that could cause you further harm.

You should use your best judgment when describing the facts of your dispute in the complaint. Sometimes you may want to include facts that you do not know personally. If you do this, make sure you use the phrase “on information and belief” and explain that you have a good faith basis for believing the fact to be true.

The law of a nation governs the behavior and conduct of persons within that nation. Unlike international law, which is a set of rules created through treaties and conventions, national laws are created by the legislative, judiciary and executive bodies of the nation itself. The law of a nation can also be established through a system of precedent or custom.

In accordance with the principle of individuality and equality, the State tries to maintain minimum standards of wholesome and cultured living for all citizens in all areas of life. Laws governing marriage, inheritance, choice of domicile and other matters relating to family are enacted from the standpoint of individual dignity and essential equality between the sexes.

No person shall be deprived of his rights or liberties without a fair hearing by an impartial tribunal, or arbitrarily held. In order to arrest or detain any person, a warrant must be issued by a competent judicial officer. The accused must be at once informed of the charges against him and have the privilege to consult counsel.

Every citizen has the right to choose his religion and freely express his opinion through speech, press and other means of communication, except when it threatens public security or is against the public interest. Freedom of movement of people within the country and to change their occupation is guaranteed by law. The people of the State sincerely desire an international peace based on justice and order and forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation.

Law is a system of rules created and enforced by social or governmental institutions to regulate human behaviour. Its precise definition is the subject of long-standing debate and encompasses a broad spectrum of subjects that span virtually all aspects of society. These subjects are grouped into three categories for convenience, though they frequently intertwine and overlap:

Criminal law relates to conduct that threatens social order and is punishable by imprisonment or fines. Civil law, including torts, contracts and property law, involves the rights of individuals in their dealings with each other. Labour and employment law includes the tripartite industrial relationship of employer, worker and trade unions and involves workplace rights such as health and safety and minimum wage. Administrative law concerns the ways in which governmental agencies operate and the procedures that apply to them. Jurisprudence is the body of legal decisions and the principles that govern how other laws should be applied to specific cases, involving such methods as analogy, Qiyas and Ijma.

Legislation begins with an idea – the ‘bill’ – submitted by a representative to their House of Commons, which if released is then debated and voted on. If passed, it moves to the Senate where it undergoes similar scrutiny and is then sent to a conference committee made up of representatives from both houses that works out any differences between the House and Senate versions. Once agreed, the bill becomes a law. Legal ethics, public interest and commercial considerations also play a role in the making of laws.