Sources of law
Okay kiddo, imagine you're playing a game with your friends and you all agree on some rules before you start playing. These rules help you know what you can and can't do during the game. Similarly, societies have rules that help people know what they are allowed and not allowed to do. These rules are called laws.
Now, there are different places where the rules (laws) come from. Let's break them down:
1. Constitution: Just like your game may have some basic rules that apply to everyone, a country has a set of basic rules that apply to all its citizens. These rules are found in the constitution. The constitution is the supreme law of the land and it guides all other laws in the country.
2. Statutes: These are laws that are made by the government or the lawmakers. In your game, your friends could make some rules to add to or change the original rules you agreed on. Similarly, the government or lawmakers may pass laws to add to, change or clarify the original laws in the constitution.
3. Judicial opinions: These are the rulings that come from judges in court cases. Imagine if you and your friends disagreed on a rule during the game and you asked a grown-up (like a parent or teacher) to help you decide. The grown-up may look at similar situations in the past and decide based on what happened in those situations. Similarly, judges try to be consistent with previous rulings when making decisions in court.
4. Administrative regulations: These are rules and regulations made by government agencies to implement statutes. For instance, your school may have a rule that students can't wear certain clothes. This rule may have been made by the school's principal or board of education to support a statute that requires students to dress properly.
So, these are the places where laws come from, kiddo. The constitution, statutes, judicial opinions, and administrative regulations all work together to provide guidance on how people should act in a society.
Now, there are different places where the rules (laws) come from. Let's break them down:
1. Constitution: Just like your game may have some basic rules that apply to everyone, a country has a set of basic rules that apply to all its citizens. These rules are found in the constitution. The constitution is the supreme law of the land and it guides all other laws in the country.
2. Statutes: These are laws that are made by the government or the lawmakers. In your game, your friends could make some rules to add to or change the original rules you agreed on. Similarly, the government or lawmakers may pass laws to add to, change or clarify the original laws in the constitution.
3. Judicial opinions: These are the rulings that come from judges in court cases. Imagine if you and your friends disagreed on a rule during the game and you asked a grown-up (like a parent or teacher) to help you decide. The grown-up may look at similar situations in the past and decide based on what happened in those situations. Similarly, judges try to be consistent with previous rulings when making decisions in court.
4. Administrative regulations: These are rules and regulations made by government agencies to implement statutes. For instance, your school may have a rule that students can't wear certain clothes. This rule may have been made by the school's principal or board of education to support a statute that requires students to dress properly.
So, these are the places where laws come from, kiddo. The constitution, statutes, judicial opinions, and administrative regulations all work together to provide guidance on how people should act in a society.
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