Functions and Purpose of Law — KSLU Jurisprudence Notes

Functions and Purpose of Law

Why does law exist at all? The classic answers stack rather than compete: order (Hobbes — escape from the war of all against all), justice (Salmond — courts apply law for the administration of justice), liberty (law fences power), and social engineering (Pound — balancing competing interests with least friction). The working summary for the exam: law’s primary function is the administration of justice, its secondary functions include guiding conduct, allocating resources and settling disputes peacefully.