Law is the study of the rules and regulations that govern a society. The subject is diverse and requires knowledge of many different areas. This subject is not just about the rule of law but also about how these rules are applied to people. The Oxford Reference dictionary provides in-depth entries and over 34,000 concise definitions of legal terms and concepts. It covers the major legal systems in the UK and the US and provides authoritative information on legal theory and practice.
Courts
Courts of law have a range of different functions. The clerk of court is one example, who handles cases, deals with financial matters, and provides administrative support to the court. Statutes create codes that govern the behavior of people in the legal system. Some of these codes include the California Code of Civil Procedure, the Penal Code, and the Health and Safety Code. There are also other forms of law that use the court system, such as collaborative law, which is when both sides hire lawyers and agree to settle their differences without going to court.
English courts traditionally distinguished between courts of law and courts of equity, with the latter granting remedies other than monetary damages. In 1938, however, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure combined the two, resulting in a unified system for civil courts. Some exceptions to this rule include bankruptcy courts and certain state courts.