法律翻译知识2.法的分类
按照不同标准或特征，法可以根据不同的方法进行分类。
2, Classification of Law
There are several different ways in which laws can beclassified,depending on the criteria or characteristics
(1)实体法与程序法
实体法规定何为可为之事，何为不可为之事。例如规定不得谋害性命(除非出于自卫、处于受胁迫状态或醉态） 的法律即属实体法。与实体法不同，程序法的内容是指一方提起诉讼时应当遵循的步骤.
a, Substantive Law vs. Procedural Law
Substantive law explains what you can and you cannotdo. For example, you cannot murder another human being unless it was aself-defense, you were under duress, or if you were drugged by another person.Unlike substantive law, procedural law are just steps that must take place whenfiling a lawsuit against another party.
(2)公法与私法
法可划分为两大部门：公法和私法。公法是调整个人与政府间关系的法律，同时还调整政府自身框架及其运作，公法包括宪法、刑法和行政法。私法是调整私人、私人财产以及私人之间关系的法律。
b, Public Law vs. Private Law
Law can be divided into two main branches:public lawand private law. Public law is the body of law dealing with the relationsbetween private individuals and the government, and with the structure andoperation of the government itself, including constitution law, criminal law,and administrative law. Private law is the body of law dealing with privatepersons and their property and relationships.
（3）刑法和民法
刑法规制的是危害整个社会的行为（向社会承担的义务）。社会通过称作“检察官”（如“地区检察官”）的政府官员，对违法者提起诉讼。行为人被判有罪(如盗窃罪)的，可被处以监禁刑或罚金刑。与刑法不同，民法调整的是个人间、法人间或个人与法人间的争议，通常受害者会判得赔偿金。例如，车祸中的受害人如向司机主张事故损失或伤害赔偿金的，就是一则民事案件。
c, Criminal Law vs. Civil Law
Criminal law or penal law defines breaches of duty tosociety at large. It is society, through government employees calledprosecutors(such as district attorneys),that brings court action againstviolators. If you are found guilty of a crime such as theft, you will bepunished by imprisonment or a fine. Civil law,as opposed to criminal law, is thebranch of law dealing with disputes between individuals or organizations, inwhich compensation may be awarded to the victim. For instance, if a car crashvictim claims damages against the driver for loss or injury sustained in anaccident, this will be a civil law case.
(4)普通法与大陆法
普通法是由法官通过法院(及类似 裁判机构）的判决发展起来，而非通过立法机关制定的制定法，或者行政机构的决定发展起来。普通法国家实行“遵循先例”的原则，也就是说，美国等普通法国家是基于先例作出裁决的。因为每一司法意见都是后来裁决的先例，所以，普通法有时也被称为“法官造法”。盎格鲁-美利坚法律植根于普通法的传统之中。在1881年，奥利弗• 温德尔•霍姆斯大法官写道，“法律的生命不是逻辑，而是经验”。普通法的发展，是对解决时代紧要问题的需要而作出的回应。与普通法不同，大陆法的原则是向全体公民提供可获得的、成文的法律合集，这些法律对其有约束力，并要求法官严格遵守。
d, Common Law vs. Civil Law
Common law is law developed by judges throughdecisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislativestatutes or executive branch action. Common law countries prosecute with theconcept of “ stare decisis”, which means that these countries such asthe United States of America make decisions based on precedents. Because eachjudicial opinion serves as a precedent for later decisions, as a result, commonlaw is sometimes called judge-made law. Anglo-American law is rooted inthe tradition of the common law. In 1881,Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes,Jr.Wrote,”The life of the law has not been logic; It has been experience.” Commonlaw developed as a response to the need to find solutions to the pressingissues of the time. Unlike common law, the principle of civil law is to provideall citizens with an accessible and written collection of the laws which applyto them and which judges must follow.
