The power to make laws depends on political power. Political power is often commanded by military force. Revolts against the political-legal authority of a nation can be extremely challenging. However, they can occur. A fundamental principle of law is that political power controls the rule of law. The political landscape varies greatly from country to country.
Legal precepts
Legal precepts are principles, rules, or concepts that define the law in a narrowly defined sense. Generally, they are considered authoritative starting points in legal reasoning. They may be either absolute, or they may define categories into which states of fact may fall. Some precepts are also standards of conduct.
The purpose of legal precepts is to promote the common good. However, these precepts may differ according to the type of community that they are intended for. For instance, one community may be governed by the human law, while another community may be governed by the Divine law.
Legal precedents
A precedent is an established case that has been decided by a higher court and is considered binding on lower courts. A court may adopt a precedent in order to provide guidance for future decisions. Often, precedents are established by the Supreme Court. However, a precedent may be based on a narrow case.
Legal precedents are important because they allow researchers to look back on past interpretations of the law and make compelling arguments about how the law should be applied. There are several excellent sources online that will help you understand the importance of case law. These resources are aimed at law students and anyone new to legal research.
Judiciary
In law, the judiciary is a branch of government that adjudicates disputes involving the application of a law. These conflicts typically involve parties such as individuals, groups, governments, and agencies. Because the judiciary does not control the military or the police, it must be viewed as a neutral body.
In addition to its role in enforcing the law, the Judiciary should protect the public. Therefore, judicial personnel should be given fair salaries and pensions, receive adequate training, and have limited personal liability for their decisions. Moreover, there should be credible investigations into judges’ misconduct. Judiciary reforms should also be aimed at improving public trust in courts and society.
Religious law
The practice of religious law is based on the ethical codes taught by religious traditions. Different religious traditions hold sacred law to different degrees, while others explicitly reject it. Christianity, for example, places much emphasis on the eternal moral precepts of the divine law, even though many of its judicial and civil aspects have been annulled.
Traditionally, disputes within faith communities are resolved through mediation and/or by the religious community itself. While formal tribunals can be used in extreme cases, they are most often used only when attempts at mediation and informal adjudication have failed.