Focuses on understanding the present form of law, analyzing its structure and components. Also called the Austinian School, Imperative School, or Positivist School.

1.1. John Austin

• Definition: “A command of the sovereign backed by a sanction.”
• Merits:
  • Clear and simple definition.
  • Foundation for modern jurisprudence.
  • Emphasizes state authority in lawmaking.
• Demerits:
  • Ignores customs and judge-made laws.
  • Excludes international law and conventions.
  • Overemphasizes the "command" aspect of law.

1.2. Jeremy Bentham

• Definition: “A collection of signs indicating the will of the sovereign.”
• Merits:
  • Introduced utilitarianism in law.
  • Inspired legal reforms and systematic legal analysis.
• Demerits:
  • Overlooks individual discretion in law application.
  • Too abstract and idealistic, ignoring practical complexities.

Views law as a social phenomenon, focusing on its role in addressing societal issues and balancing individual and state welfare.

2.1. Roscoe Pound

• Core Idea: Proposed social engineering to balance competing interests.
• Merits:
  • Focuses on law's functionality.
  • Emphasizes balancing interests for social harmony.
• Demerits:
  • Rigid classification of interests.
  • Overemphasis on engineering societal needs.

2.2. Dugit’s Theory

• Core Idea: Advocated social solidarity, emphasizing interdependence.
• Merits:
  • Promotes societal harmony.
  • Challenges state sovereignty.
• Demerits:
  • Vague concept of social solidarity.
  • Neglects essential state intervention.

Believes law evolves from societal customs and traditions.

3.1. Friedrich Carl Van Savigny

• Core Idea: Law develops from customs and cultural consciousness.
• Merits:
  • Highlights cultural influence on law.
  • Recognizes customs as a source of law.
• Demerits:
  • Ignores judge-made law.
  • Overemphasis on outdated customs.

Connects law with ethical values, emphasizing its role in promoting social harmony and individual freedom.

4.1. Grotius

• Core Idea: Known as the father of international law, Grotius argued that natural law arises from human reason and is universally applicable.
• Merits:
  • Emphasizes the moral foundation of law.
  • Highlights universal principles applicable across societies.
• Demerits:
  • Overlooks practical sources like legislation and customs.
  • Relies heavily on subjective notions of morality and reason.

4.2. Immanuel Kant

• Core Idea: Distinguished between ethics (inner life) and law (external behavior). Defined law as conditions under which personal freedom can coexist with others’ freedom.
• Merits:
  • Advocated universal laws based on reason.
  • Differentiated ethics from legal obligations.
• Demerits:
  • Theoretical and abstract, lacking practical application.
  • Fails to address historical and social contexts of law.

Focuses on how law operates in real-life scenarios, emphasizing judicial behavior and practical outcomes.

5.1. John Chipman Grey

• Core Idea: Believed law is what courts declare in judgments, highlighting the importance of judicial interpretation.
• Merits:
  • Grounded in real-life applications.
  • Encourages individual interpretation and adaptability.
• Demerits:
  • Ineffective at addressing statute law and codifications.
  • Overemphasis on judicial decisions, risking personal biases.

5.2. Jerome Frank

• Core Idea: Compared law to a "father figure," emphasizing the human element in legal interpretation. Advocated adaptability of law to social changes.
• Merits:
  • Recognizes the evolving nature of law.
  • Emphasizes practical judgment over rigid precedents.
• Demerits:
  • Overemphasis on judicial discretion can undermine consistency.
  • Limited universal applicability as it focuses on the American judiciary.