Classification of law

Law is a system of rules established by the state.

Civil law concerns disputes among a citizens within a country, and public law concerns disputes between citizens and the state, or between one state and another.

The system of law in our country consists of different categories of law.

Constitutional law is the leading category of the whole system of law. Its principal source is the country’s Constitution. It deals with social structure, the state system, organization of state power and the legal status of citizens.

Administrative law is closely connected with constitutional law but it deals with the legal forms of concrete executive and administrative activity of a government and ministries.

Criminal law defines the general principles of criminal responsibility, individual types of crimes and punishment applied to criminals. Crimes are wrongs which, even committed against an individual are considered to harm the well-being of society in general. Criminal law takes the form of a criminal code.

International law regulates relations between governments and also between private citizens of one country and those of another.

Financial law regulates the budget, taxation, state credit and other spheres of financial activity.

Civil law is connected with relations in the economic sphere of life, with relations involving property, its distribution and exchange. The right in property is the central institution of civil law.

The rules of employment law include the legislation on the employment of industrial and office workers and regulate matters arising from employment relations.

Ex. 20Match the following categories of law with their definitions.

civil law	regulate matters arising from employment relations
criminal law	deals with the legal forms of concrete executive and administrative activity of a government and ministers
administrative law	concerns disputes among citizens within a country
financial law	a leading category of the whole system of law
employment law	regulates the budget, taxation, state credit and other spheres of financial activities
constitutional law	regulates the relations between governments and also between private citizens of one country and those of another
international law	defines the general principles of criminal responsibility

Ex. 21Choose the suitable word and translate the sentences into Russian.

1. System of law in Russia (is divided into, consists of) following categories.

2. Constitutional law (defines, regulates) the rights and duties of citizens.

3. Civil and criminal law (is, are) the most basic of classification.

4. Law is also frequently (classified into, consists of) areas of public and private law.

5. Very broadly criminal law is (concerned, deals) with the general well-being and civil law with individual rights and duties.

6. There are many legal principles or rules of law that are found in statutes, codes and other (sources, categories) that are applied by courts.

7. Procedural law ( establishes, deals with) the procedures that provide how a lawsuit is begun, trial is conducted and appeal is taken.

8. Family law is a system of rules which (regulates, defines) matrimonial relations.

Ex. 22Say if the following statements are true or false.

1. Civil law concerns disputes among citizens within and beyond a country.

2. Public law concerns disputes between citizens and the state.

3. Both Russian Federation and United Kingdom have continental system of law.

4. Most countries have a formal written Constitution.

5. Procedural law establishes the rules for enforcing or administrating law.

6. The distinction between substantive and procedural law is much more important for individuals than for lawyers.

7. Substantive law concerns the law dealing with the facts of the case itself, such as law of torts, corporations and contracts.

8. Some distinction between procedural law and substantive law is familiar to all legal systems.

9. Law is not the most basic social institution.