Fox and Twomey suggest that the law is not an end unto itself, but is a means for obtaining social justice. They state that the purpose of law is to "provide order, stability and justice" (p. 20). Proper conduct is allowed while improper conduct is prohibited. Recognizing that society is composed of individuals, the authors also recognize that what one person considers equitable justice, another may consider inequitable.
Every rule has an objective, and laws are no different, each having a specific objective. The authors outline 15 objectives, including protection of the state, personal protection, protection of public health and morals, protection of property and title protection, then move to the question of what happens when conflict arises. Most often, the conflict is one of individual versus group benefit, and there is not a clear-cut rule which identifies which takes precedence. In some cases, the individual rights are upheld, while in others, courts decide in favor of group welfare.
In Chapter 3, Anderson, Fox and Twomey move to a di
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