law is commonly understood as a system of rules that are created and enforced through social or governmental institutions to regulate conduct, although its precise definition is a matter of longstanding debate. it has been variously described as a science and the art of justice. state-enforced laws can be made by a collective legislature or by a single legislator, resulting in statutes, by the executive through decrees and regulations, or established by judges through precedent, normally in common law jurisdictions. private individuals can create legally binding contracts, including arbitration agreements that may elect to accept alternative arbitration to the normal court process. the formation of laws themselves may be influenced by a constitution, written or tacit, and the rights encoded therein. the law shapes politics, economics, history and society in various ways and serves as a mediator of relations between people.