Social Science

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most strategically important maritime passages in the world. Located between Iran to the north and Oman and the United Arab Emirates to …

Legal systems do not develop by accident. They grow out of a society’s history, politics, culture and ideas about justice. Across the world, three concepts are especially important in understanding …

Statute law is one of the main sources of law in the United Kingdom. It refers to law created by Parliament through the formal legislative process, resulting in Acts of …

Civil law is one of the most important branches of any legal system because it regulates the everyday relationships between individuals, businesses and organisations. Unlike criminal law, which deals with …

Common law is one of the world’s most influential legal traditions. Originating in England, it has shaped the legal systems of countries such as Wales, the United States, Canada, Australia, …

Litigation is the formal process of resolving disputes through the court system. When negotiation fails, relations break down, or legal rights need authoritative protection, litigation becomes the route by which …

When a serious dispute arises, the first question is often not who is right, but how the disagreement should be resolved. In modern legal systems, three of the most important …

Arbitration is one of the most important forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in the modern legal world. In simple terms, it is a private process in which the parties …

Mediation is one of the best-known forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Put simply, it is a process in which an independent third party, the mediator, helps people in dispute …

The criminal court is one of the most visible parts of the justice system. It is the place where people accused of committing offences are formally tried, where evidence is …