This chapter defines law and introduces the concept of the legal system. The chapter then examines Anglo-Saxon case law and continental European code law -- the two dominant systems in the world today.   Sharia or Islamic law are also described. The chapter offers the argument that in practice, case law and code law systems are converging to a certain extent and it provides of how this is happening. The chapter then outlines the differences between various types of courts and ends with an examination of the developing legal systems in China and the European Union.