Laws in Our Pop Culture

Laws, when we hear that term what do we think about? Walking through a busy city street hearing people mention the term ‘law’ or ‘laws’, you could imagine a bunch of different things. If you’re a housewife the first thing that may pop into mind is the show Law and Order, if you’re a teenage girl you may let out a sigh over the name Jude Law, or if you’re the general public you will either picture a lawyer with his tie undone or a police officer in his car. The truth is, all of these in one way or another pertain to law, well of course minus Jude Law, sorry girls.

Law has branched out into many different aspects of life including entertainment and business. By definition, law is a set of rules that are enforced through a set of institutions. Since there are hundreds and thousands of laws, some sort of organization is needed to better familiarize ourselves. This is why they are divided into categories such as criminal law, business law, constitutional law, international law, administrative law, etc.. Laws are what protect a person, group, company, or nation from harm or wrongdoing, and provide guidelines for which things are conducted. Law has always been in the minds of young children envisioning themselves as police officers when they’re all grown up. Lately, law has made itself into the entertainment world various different television programs. The most obvious and widely known shows involving law are the daytime court shows. The ones with the judge that is now known as a “celebrity judge” and the audience in the background there to see the outcome of the trial. Contestants, or rather, the plaintiff and defendant, choose to have their case tried on one of these shows in a speedy trial. Of course it’s entertaining to watch the judge belittle the offenders, and make their ruling, but at the same time people are educated. They learn about proceedings and some laws they were perhaps unaware of, should they ever find themselves or someone they know in a similar situation. Shows like this bring laws to life, and it is a fun and entertaining way for the public to learn something, whether they know it or not, while watching television. Some adults don’t realize it is almost the same concept as putting a child in front of TV watching Sesame Street, just different in content and of course for adults. But this is not the only type of show that has spread the word of law throughout America in recent years. Law and Order is one, if not the most widely watched law show. The things is, it’s not even just one show. The fan base for the original grew so large, that they have branched out into different sub shows pertaining to specialty cases. For example there is one titled Criminal Intent and another Special Victims Unit. The show itself also bases its episodes on recent cases in the news, to give a closer look at what it takes to not only catch a criminal but to prosecute them in court. These shows give the American public a better understanding of the legal system, its laws, and how they pertain to criminals in this case. They also inform why sometimes certain loopholes can cause a mistrial, or a criminal to be found innocent.

This insight into the world of law can provide the general public with a better understanding of how our legal system is ran and conducted. With the addition of other shows like these, people will be able to learn much more about laws and cases while enjoying it.