Prawo

Prawo is a system of formal norms that regulate human conduct within a society. It is created by public authorities and institutions and backed by sanctions. It organizes social interactions, defines rights and duties, and provides mechanisms for resolving disputes and enforcing obligations.

It is commonly divided into branches such as constitutional law, public (or administrative) law, criminal law, civil or private law, family law, commercial law, and procedural law. Public law concerns the state and its relationship with individuals, while private law governs relations among private persons and entities. International law addresses relations between states and organizations.

Sources of law typically include a constitution or fundamental laws, statutes enacted by legislative bodies, and ratified international treaties and regulations issued by executive authorities. Judicial decisions interpret and apply the law, but in many traditions do not have the same binding status as statutes. The term prawo also covers the concept of rights (prawa) and the ideal of justice.

Historically, many legal systems evolved from customary norms into codified statutes. The discipline of law encompasses jurisprudence, legal theory, and professional practice, focusing on how rules are created, interpreted, and enforced in a social order.