What are the branches of public law?

• A. Administrative law, constitutional law and criminal law
• B. Civil law, contract law and tort law
• C. Family law, property law and trusts
• D. International law, environmental law and human rights law

Answer: (A)

Public law deals with how the government operates and its relationship with citizens. The branches that fit this focus are constitutional law, which sets out the powers and limits of the state and protects fundamental rights; administrative law, which regulates how government agencies make decisions and enforce laws; and criminal law, which defines offenses against the state and prescribes penalties. Together, they address the structure of government, the rules governing government action, and the enforcement of crimes that affect the public order.

The other groups mainly concern private law—areas that regulate disputes and relationships between individuals or private entities—such as civil law, contract law, and tort law, or family, property, and trusts. International, environmental, and human rights law often sit outside the core trio in many curricula, as they can involve different frameworks (domestic vs. international) and areas of study.