Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or
governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a
matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science
and as the art of justice. State-enforced laws can be made by a group
legislature or by a single legislator, resulting in statutes; by the executive
through decrees and regulations; or established by judges through precedent,
usually in common law jurisdictions. Private individuals may create legally
binding contracts, including arbitration agreements that adopt alternative
ways of resolving disputes to standard court litigation. The creation of laws
themselves may be influenced by a constitution, written or tacit, and the
rights encoded therein.