Role and Functions of Law Paper

September 12, 2012
Valentine Castillo, J.D

Roles and Functions of Law Paper
Introduction
Without law our world would be inundated with corruption and criminal behavior. Organizations would seize to exist and the government would have no control over the economy or society. The thought of the United States operating without law is very disturbing and unnerving. It is unimaginable to think how businesses and society would function without law.
Melvin (2011) perfectly defines law as “the body of rules of action or conduct prescribed by controlling authority and having real binding force.” There are reasons why law is crucial for the survival of our country therefore it is the purpose of this paper to define the functions and role of law in business and society. It will briefly discuss the suit Cipollone V. Leggett Group, Inc., et al – and which laws played a role in the suit. Final the paper will address the function of law in an industry.
Roles and Functions of Law
Corporate America plays a huge role in our lives as professionals and as members of society. There are a multitude of laws that play a significant role in ensuring that both society and businesses are legally protected against criminal acts such as fraud, extortion and embezzlement – just to mention a few. Some of the laws that are intertwined with both society and Corporate America are substantive law, procedural law, criminal law, civil law, common law and statutory law.
Substantive laws allow and provide the rights for individuals to file or pursue lawsuits against corporations and procedural laws provide the structure and set of rules for pursuing substantive rights (Melvin, 2011). Criminal law is designed to protect the public/organizations from perpetrators that violate the rules or perform criminal acts. Criminal law outlines the