What is a key principle of substantive law?

The key principle of substantive law focuses on the rights and obligations of individuals and the legal definitions associated with those rights. It is concerned with the actual substance of law, which includes what constitutes a crime and the legal protections available to individuals.

In this context, the correct answer emphasizes that substantive law defines legal rights, such as the legal definitions of crimes and the elements that must be proven for a crime to be established. This foundation allows individuals to understand what actions are criminally punishable and what their rights are under the law.

Procedures followed in court cases pertain more to procedural law, which outlines how laws are applied and enforced. Rights during arrests are specific legal protections that individuals receive and do not encapsulate the broader definitions found in substantive law. Expected behaviors according to social norms relate to societal expectations, which vary widely and are not necessarily codified into law, hence they fall outside the specific framework of substantive law.