Analysis Of The Various Schools Of Thought In Relation To The Meaning Of Law

ABSTRACTLaw can be defined as the body of rule designed or formulated to guide human actions or conducts which are enforced among the members of a given society, the breach of which attract sanctions.However, in spite of the ambiguity created in defining law and failure to reach universally acceptable definition of the term law. Therefore, it is most pertinent to examine the meaning of law from the different schools. For instance the natural school lead by Thomus Acquina, he sees law as what is fair, just, right and good. The historical school postulate, that law should be rooted in the people and reflects the common consciousness. To the sociological school, law is the pertinent norm and value in the society while the realist perceived law to be made through the medium of court. Utilitarian sees law to promote utility.The definitions of law from the above is not all encompassing as Professors Okunniga Once positedNobody including the lawyer is offered, nobody including the lawyer is offering, nobody including the lawyer will be able to offer a definition of law to end all definitionsOn the whole, the definition of law up till the present day is still a subject of controversy among the jurists. A precise and appropriate definition is yet to be given to the meaning of law. It is on this note that this research aimed at analyzing the definitions given by various Scholar of each school Vis-vis  the meaning of law, the study is also intended to carryout divergent views among jurists, scholar on the essential needs for universally acceptable definition of law.To this end, the research consists of five chapters the first chapter, deals with general introduction, the second chapter focuses on the nature and meaning of law chapter three, deals extensively with theories of law while chapter four concentrates on the view of law in Nigeria legal system and the last chapter contains conclusion with recommendations.TABLE OF CONTENTSCOVER PAGECERTIFICATIONABSTRACTTABLE OF CONTENTSDEDICATIONACKNOWLEDGEMENTTABLE OF CASESTABLE OF STATUTESLIST OF ABBREVIATIONSCHAPTER 1GENERAL INTRODUCTION1.0.0:INTRODUCTION1.1.0:BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY1.2.0:  OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY1.3.0:FOCUS OF THE STUDY1.4.0 SCOPE OF THE STUDY1.5.0 METHODOLOGY1.6.0 LITERATURE REVIEW1.7.0 DEFINITION OF TERMS1.8.0 CONCLUSIONSCHAPTER 2NATURE AND MEANING OF LAW2.0.0: INTRODUCTION2.1.0: MEANING OF LAW2.2.0: FEATURES OF LAW2.2.1: LAW IS BODY OF RULES2.2.2: IT IS MAN MADE2.2.3: IT IS NORMATIVE IN CHARACTER2.2.4: IT HAS AN ELEMENT OF COERCION2.2.5: TERRITORIAL LIMITATION2.2.6: DYNAMIC IN NATURE2.3.0: FUNCTIONS OF LAW IN THE SOCIETY2.3.1: DEFINITION AND REGULATION OF SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS2.3.2: IDENTIFICATION AND ALLOCATION OF OFFICIAL AUTHORITY2.3.3: DISPUTE SETTLEMENT AND REMEDIES2.3.4: CHANGE OF LAW2.4.0: OBJECTIVES OF LAW2.4.1: LAW AND STATE2.4.2: LAW AND FREEDOM2.4.3: LAW AND JUSTICE2.4.3.1: FORMAL JUSTICE2.4.3.2: SUBSTANTIVE JUSTICE2.4.4: LAW AND LEGITIMACY2.4.5: LAW AND SOVEREIGNTY2.5.0:SOURCES OF LAW2.5.1: PRIMARY SOURCES2.5.2: SECONDARY SOURCE2.6.0: SCHOOLS AND SCHOLARS OF THE SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT2.7.0: CONCLUSIONCHAPTER 3THEORIES OF LAW3.0.0: INTRODUCTION3.1.0: THE NATURAL LAW SCHOOL3.2.0: THE POSITIVIST SCHOOL3.3.0: THE HISTORICAL SCHOOL3.4.0: THE UTILITARIAN SCHOOL3.5.0: THE SOCIOLOGICAL SCHOOL3.6.0: THE PURE-THEORY OF LAW3.7.0: THE REALIST SCHOOL3.8.0: CONCLUSIONCHAPTER 4THE VIEW LAW IN NIGERIA LEGAL SYSTEM4.0.0:INTRODUCTION4.1.0:THE PERSPECTIVE OF LAW BY THE NIGERIAN COURTS4.2.0: THE DEFINITION OF LAW WITHIN THE SOCIAL EXPERIENCE OF NIGERIA4.2.1: THE LITERARY RULE4.2.2: THE GOLDEN RULE4.2.3: THE MISCHIEF RULE4.3.0 CONCLUSIONSCHAPTER 5GENERAL CONCLUSION5.0.0:CONCLUSION5.1.0:RECOMMENDATIONSBIBLIOGRAPHYARTICLE ON THE INTERNETBOOKS