Saturday, 1 November 2025

Short Notes - The Divisions of the Law


Definition: Law is the cement of the society and an essential medium of change.


Main divisions

Criminal law: offences and punishments.

Civil law: rights and remedies between persons.

Substantive law: defines rights and duties.

Procedural law: tells how to enforce rights in court.

Municipal (national) law: applies inside one country.

International law: governs relations between states.

Written law: statutes and Acts.

Unwritten law: customs and case law.

General law: applies to all persons.

Special law: applies to particular persons or situations.

Military law: rules for armed forces.


Relation and purpose

Substantive and procedural law work together.

Criminal law protects society.

Civil law protects individual interests.


UK court system

Supreme Court: highest court in the UK.

Court of Appeal: hears appeals from lower courts.

High Court: handles important civil cases and some appeals.

Divisions: Queen’s/King’s Bench, Chancery, Family.

Crown Court: serious criminal trials and appeals from magistrates.

County Courts: civil disputes at first instance.

Magistrates’ Courts: minor criminal cases and some civil matters.

Tribunals: specialised disputes (tax, employment, immigration).

Note: Higher courts create binding precedents for lower courts.


Public law: law about the state and public.

Private law: law between private persons.

Common law: law developed by judges and precedents.

Equity: fairness-based rules and remedies.

Equity corrects strict common law rules.

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