What is the distinction between substantive law and procedural law?

• A. Substantive law defines rights and duties; procedural law governs the mechanics of enforcing those rights.
• B. Substantive law is created by statutes; procedural law is custom.
• C. Substantive law governs court procedures; procedural law defines rights and duties.
• D. Substantive law applies only to criminal cases; procedural law applies only to civil cases.

Answer: (A)

Substantive law creates the rights and duties people have. It tells us what conduct is illegal, what obligations arise in contracts, what counts as negligence, and what remedies or penalties apply. Procedural law, on the other hand, lays out the process for enforcing those rights and duties—how lawsuits are filed, what rules govern evidence and trial procedures, and how decisions are appealed.

That separation is exactly what the correct option expresses: substantive law defines rights and duties, while procedural law governs the mechanics of enforcing those rights. For example, substantive law might say a breach of contract gives the non-breaching party a right to damages, while procedural law dictates how to bring a claim, what evidence is admissible, and how the trial proceeds.

The other ideas don’t fit because substantive law isn’t limited to statutes, and procedural law isn’t mere custom. It’s also not true that substantive law only applies in criminal cases or that procedural law only applies in civil cases; both types of law operate in both criminal and civil contexts.