Chap-1 Legal Concepts

Law
Introduction:

It is difficult to give a precise and concise definition of the term “law”. Many
authors have tried to define this term only to be faced by criticism from some
other author. Defining this term assumes greater difficulties because everything
depends on the perspectives from which one looks at ‘law’. Nevertheless, it is the
basic concept in jurisprudence and it is interesting to see how eminent jurists
have attempted to define this term.

Definitions:-

According to Blackstone, “ Law in its general and comprehensive sense, signifies a

rule of action and is applied indiscriminately to all kinds of action, whether
animate or inanimate, rational or irrational.”

According to Salmond, “ The law consists of the rules recognized and acted upon
in the courts of justice.”

According to Austin’s definition is even simpler: “Law is the command of the

Sovereign.”

In a broad sense, however, the term “law” would include any rule of action, as
when one speaks of the law of gravity and other scientific “laws”.