Law is a system that manages and implements rules that a citizen must follow while living in a society. There are many ways that law can be identified and understood. To make matters easier, it helps to break the structure down into three different categories: Criminal law, family law, and general civil law.

Criminal Law

If a person is suspected of criminal activity, he or she may be subjected to interrogations, court summonses, and punishment if convicted. Criminal law focuses on holding people accountable for not adhering to a region’s criminal code or defending people who are wrongfully accused. Fines, imprisonment, and probation are some of the ways a convicted criminal can be penalized.

Family Law

Family law encompasses issues regarding significant others and children. Marriage, divorce, alimony, adoption, and child custody are all handled within the framework of family law. Estate planning (such as setting up wills and trusts for a relative) can also be a part of this system. Another legal issue a family may deal with is if a minor is accused of juvenile delinquency, as the repercussions fall on the parents to some degree.

General Civil Law

When different individuals or organizations are having a legal dispute, the situation is handled within the bounds of general civil law. A civil legal matter Honolulu HI can be settled in or out of court, depending on the circumstance. A subcategory of general civic law is administrative law, which deals with disagreements an entity might have with a government agency. With administrative law, it’s common for a tribunal to evaluate a government’s actions to decide if they are fair or not.

Law can be divided into many narrow practices, but it helps to start with the three larger categories to understand how problems are handled. Looking at the different systems can help a person choose the right course of action when he or she runs into a legal discrepancy.