This document distinguishes between legal rules (laws) and non-legal rules. Laws apply to all members of a society, are created by law-making bodies, and are always written down. Non-legal rules include family rules, cultural norms, morality, and sports/club rules. They apply only to members of a group and are not always written down. Examples are given of rules and laws, including school uniforms, paying sports fees, hairnets in deli work, smoking bans, and voting ages.

1. Legal Vs Non-Legal Rules
Laws or rules?

2. Distinction:
Laws Rules
Apply to all members of a
particular society
Apply only to members of
that group.
Created by a law-making
body
Created by individuals and
groups
Always recorded in written
form
Not always have to be in
written form

3. How to tell the difference
between laws and rules

4. Non-legal rules:
Family rules
Cultural norms
Rules of morality
Sports/club rules
School rules

5. Behaviour at School
1846:

6. Activity: Sort into rules or laws
Wearing a school uniform to school
Paying your membership fees before being allowed to
play in the local footy final
Wearing a hairnet when working at the deli in Coles
Not being permitted to smoke cigarettes at school
Having to wait until your 18 years to vote
Washing the dinner dishes
Receiving a two match ban for striking from the AFL
tribunal.

7. Activity: Family rules
In pairs, each write a list of your family rules at
home
Compare the two lists
What are similar? Different?
What are some possible explanations as to why
there are similarities and/or differences?