Law is a set of rules created and enforced by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior. It is a complex subject that combines science, ethics, and politics, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. Law is essential for maintaining international peace and security, promoting economic and social development, curbing corruption, and protecting people’s rights and freedoms.
Writing a law article can be an intimidating task because of the specific nature of the discipline. The writer needs to be well grounded in the field and must have a clear purpose and direction to ensure that the article is comprehensive and logically presented. This is necessary because laws are complex and require a great deal of analysis to understand.
The first step in writing a law article is to decide upon the topic or area of law one would like to write about. It is important to choose an area that interests you as you will be spending months on the research and writing of it. The next step is to develop a list of authorities that can be consulted. These may include legal dictionaries, domestic and foreign laws and cases, obiter dictum of judges and comments by legal authors.
It is also important to differentiate between natural law and positive law. The former derives its strength and dignity from principles of right reason, views of human nature and constitutional order, and divine sanction. The latter derives its force and dignity from an understanding of the general principles governing social change, a system of codes that promote cooperation, order, and predictability, and a flexibility that allows for adaptation to changing circumstances.