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LAW (0. Eng. lagu, M. Eng. lawe; from...

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Originally appearing in Volume V16, Page 300 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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LAW (0. Eng. lagu, M. Eng. lawe; from an old Teutonic root lag, " lie," what lies fixed or evenly; cf.
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Lat. lex, Fr. loi)
  , a word used in
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English in two main senses-(1) as a
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rule prescribed by authority for human
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action, and (2) in scientific and philosophic phraseology, as a
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uniform order of sequence (e.g . "
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laws " of motion) . In the first sense the word is used either in the abstract, for jurisprudence generally or for a state of things in which the laws of a country are duly observed (" law and order "), or in the concrete for some particular rule or
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body of rules . It is usual to distinguish further between " law " and " equity " (q.v.) . The scientific and philosophic usage has grown out of an early conception of jurisprudence, and is really metaphorical, derived from the phrase " natural law " or " law of nature," which presumed that commands were laid on
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matter by
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God (see T . E . Holland, Elements of Jurisprudence, ch. ii.), The adjective " legal " is only used in the first sense, never in the second . In the case of the " moral law " (see ETHICS) the
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term is employed somewhat ambiguously because of its connexion with both meanings . There is also an Old English use of the word " law " in. a more or less sporting sense (" to give law " or " allow so much law "), meaning a start or
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fair allowance in time or distance . Presumably this originated simply in the liberty-loving Briton's respect for proper legal procedure: instead of the brute exercise of tyrannous force he demanded " law," or a fair opportunity and trial . But it may simply be an extension of the meaning of " right," or of the sense of " leave " which is found in early uses of the French lei . In this
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work the laws or uniformities of the
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physical universe are dealt with in the articles on the various sciences .

The

general principles of law in the legal sense are discussed under JURISPRUDENCE . What may be described as "
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national systems " of law are dealt with historically and generally under ENGLISH LAW,
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AMERICAN LAW,
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ROMAN LAW, GREEK LAW,
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MAHOMMEDAN LAW,
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INDIAN LAW, &c . Certain broad divisions of law are treated under CONSTITUTION AND CONSTITUTIONAL LAW,
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CANON LAW,
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CIVIL LAW,
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COMMON LAW, CRIMINAL LAW, ECCLESIASTICAL LAW, EQUITY, INTERNATIONAL LAW, MILITARY LAW, &C . And the particular laws of different countries on
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special subjects are stated under the headings for those subjects (BANKRUPTCY, &c.) . For courts (q.v.) of law, and procedure, see JURISPRUDENCE,
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APPEAL, TRIAL, KING'S BENCH, &C .

End of Article: LAW (0. Eng. lagu, M. Eng. lawe; from an old Teutonic root lag, " lie," what lies fixed or evenly; cf. Lat. lex, Fr. loi)
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