There are laws that cover almost every aspect of our lives and how we do business. The law dictates how we can behave within society and what recourse we have when someone violates the law. Lawyers work with clients to help them protect their rights and to do business and stick within the law. There are several different types of lawyers with different specialties within the law, everything from maritime law to criminal law. For the most the law is divided into two categories, criminal law where the state charges you and civil law which focuses on conflict resolution. Let’s look at the different types of law and what type of lawyer that you may need.
Criminal law is when you are charged by the state after they believe that you have violated public law forbidding certain behaviors. An example would be, theft of any kind. Crimes like assault, theft and homicide are universal but there are other laws that will vary from state to state. However most follow the Model Penal Code which is the basic structure of criminal law.
Civil Rights Law
Civil rights attorneys work with cases that defend the rights and freedom that are granted to all citizens of the United States. These freedoms are outlined in the Constitution and various Amendments and they include things like the right to vote, freedom of speech, freedom of the press and protection against discrimination.
Different Types of Civil Law
Maritime Law: Maritime or Admiralty law covers cargo ships based out of the US and it applies regardless of where they are sailing. Maritime attorneys deal with things like fishing regulations, cargo disputes, international trade, pollution and the activity that takes place on ships and at the docks.
Bankruptcy Law: If you or your business needs to get relief from debt that is referred to as declaring Bankruptcy and there are specific courts that deal with that along with attorneys that specialize in these types of law.
Corporate Law: Corporate law deals with the creating and running of businesses. There are laws that govern how businesses are run at the state and federal level and an attorney will help you adhere to them.
Consumer Rights: Consumer rights are overseen by the Attorney General in each state and they oversee a group of consumer fraud attorneys. They are the people that deal with complaints around false advertising and unlawful business practices.
Immigration Law: Immigration lawyers can help immigrants coming into the country become naturalized citizens. The federal government deals with immigration law and creates the laws surrounding asylum, and immigration.
Family Law: Family law deals with divorce, adoption and child custody matters and it is one of the most commonly practiced areas of law.
These are just some of the areas of law that govern how we live, work and behave within our society. If you find yourself in a position where you think you need a lawyer then you probably do. Find one that works