Law is a system of rules that society develops in order to deal with crimes, business agreements and social relationships. A career in Law can be very rewarding and a Law degree is widely respected by employers.
The legal systems of the world are based on different models. The most common are those of the nation-states, where the power to make and enforce laws is vested in a central authority, usually the parliament or the monarchy. There are a number of other legal systems, however. Civil law systems, which are found on all continents and cover about 60% of the world’s population, are based on concepts and categories derived from Roman law or canon law, sometimes supplemented or modified by local culture or custom.
In common law, judges interpret legislation by examining specific facts in a case and interpreting how similar cases have been decided. This is a more effective approach than simply following legislative wording. In addition, senior judges in higher courts create precedents which allow the lower court judges to follow them.
A person is said to be convicted of a crime when the evidence tends to prove that they are guilty of it. This is known as inculpatory evidence and is the basis for a criminal trial. An arraignment is the formal procedure by which a defendant is brought before the judge and told of the charges against him or her. Often, the defendant will be asked to plead guilty or not guilty at this stage.