The law comes from, and runs through, society at all levels. It regulates human interactions and touches individuals at key moments in their lives. This volume provides an easily comprehensible account of the law in Scotland, beginning with its historical development and professional structure before going on to consider the law as an institution. To understand the law as a cultural phenomenon it has also to be considered in application. The book reflects on the impact of the law on communities and on individuals at key stages of life. It provides a starting point for those wishing to understand the context in which law shapes, and is shaped by, life and society across Scotland.