Understanding the 4 Sources of Law

The American democratic system is not always based on the simple majority rule. There are certain principles that are so important to the nation that most have agreed not to interfere in these areas. For example, the Bill of Rights was approved because concepts such as freedom of religion, expression, equal treatment, and due process of law were considered so important that, barring a constitutional amendment, even a majority should not be allowed to change them. Courts play an integral role in maintaining the rule of law, especially when they hear complaints expressed by minority groups or by people who may have minority opinions.

Equality before the law is such an essential part of the American system of government that, when a majority, whether acting intentionally or not, infringes on the rights of a minority, the Court may find it appropriate to hear both parties to the dispute in court. The four sources of law that form the basis of the American legal system are the Constitution of the United States, federal and state laws, administrative regulations, and case law. The purpose of this site is to provide information from and about the U. S.

Judiciary. In order to understand how laws are made, we must first understand the legal vocabulary used. Common law originated in England and has been inherited by almost every country that was once linked to the British Empire (except Malta, Scotland, and the United States). A lawyer can become a legal researcher who provides legal research on demand through a library, business service, or freelance work.

The concept of common law was developed during the reign of Henry II at the end of the 12th century when Henry appointed judges with authority to create an institutionalized and unified legal system common to the country. Hammurabi placed several copies of his legal code throughout the kingdom of Babylon in the form of steles for all the public to see; this became known as the Hammurabi Codex. The first are the legal syllogism which prevails in civil law legal systems, analogy which is present in common law legal systems especially in the United States, Department of State and argumentation theories that occur in both systems. As a result as time went on an increasing number of citizens asked the King to annul common law and on his behalf Lord Chancellor handed down judgment to do what was equitable in a case. A constitution is simply the laws that constitute the body politic from statute jurisprudence and convention.

Constitutional law refers both to relations between executive legislature and judiciary and to human rights or civil liberties of individuals against State. The main institutions of law in industrialized countries are independent courts representative parliaments responsible executive army and police bureaucratic organization legal profession and civil society itself. The law shapes politics economics history and society in variety of ways and serves as mediator of relationships between people. Public bills address issues that affect general public and become public laws if passed by Congress and signed by President. While neither common law system nor civil law allow people to separate property from control of property equity allows it through agreement known as trust. Canon law is only used by members of Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church and Anglican Communion.

One definition is that law is system of rules and guidelines that are applied through social institutions to govern behavior.