A legal norm: general theoretical characteristic

Abstract

The article carries out a general theoretical research of the legal norms. It is emphasized that a legal norm is one of the key concepts of the theory of law, and the importance of a detailed study of the problems of legal norms is due primarily to the fact that the law has such feature as normativity. It is noted that the issue of regulating the behavior of subjects through the legal norms is especially relevant in the legal field, because the fulfillment of the requirements of these rules depends on the state of order of public relations, that is law and order. A legal norm is defined as a fixed in the sources of law binding general rule, which determines the standard of obligatory or permitted behavior or the consequences of its violation in the field of crucial social relations, the effective action of which is ensured by the state. The features of legal norms are considered in two aspects: 1) the features of legal norms that are common to the features of other social norms; 2) specific features of legal norms. The features of the first group include the following: the norms of law are the rules of behavior that regulate social relations and normalize social communication; are socially determined rules of behavior; ensure stability and order in society; are typical models of behavior; have a general character; are created and realized due to human will and mind; supported by remedies of influence (sanctions) in case of violation. The second group is formed by the following features: the norms of law are the primary, elementary components of law; they establish a standard of lawful behavior of a person and determine the consequences of its violation; regulate the special area of social relations, which are most important for the existence, development and functioning of society; have an official state-authoritative character; are binding, supported by the possibility of state coercion; have specific sources of expression. It is also emphasized that the norms of law are fixed in official sources not directly, but through a special form of its external expression – normative-law prescriptions, with which they relate as content and form. On this basis, a normative-law prescription is defined as a written, logically complete legal provision formulated by an authorized subject, which establishes a rule of behavior in a specific source of law and is a technical and legal remedy of formal expression of a legal norm.