õigus

Õigus is an Estonian noun with several closely related meanings connected to law and rights. In everyday speech it denotes a right or entitlement (minu õigus). In a legal context it refers to law as such, the normative order that governs a society.

In Estonian legal language, õigus appears in phrases describing the sources and terms of law, such as õigussüsteem (legal system), õiguskord (legal order), õigusteadus (jurisprudence), and õigusnorm (norm of law). The concept is central to the idea of the rule of law, or õigusriik, where government power is limited by law and rights are protected by courts and institutions. Estonia’s legal framework is influenced by the civil law tradition, with codified statutes and a constitutional framework.

The Constitution of Estonia, known as Põhiseadus, defines the basic rights of citizens and the powers of state authorities. The judiciary interprets and applies laws under the legal order to settle disputes and safeguard individual rights. The term õigus is therefore fundamental to both everyday language about rights and the formal structure of legal systems.

Õigus is distinct from õiglus, which means justice or fairness. While õigus concerns laws, rights, and the legal framework, õiglus emphasizes moral and equitable dimensions of justice. Together, the concepts reflect Estonia’s approach to law as a normative order that governs conduct and protects individuals within a constitutional state.