The main sources of law are the statements of the law itself. The main sources of law can be divided into two categories: legislation (laws, significant institutions and regulations) and case law (court decisions). The following legal databases provide access to case books, judgments, summaries and commentaries. Click i for more information about these resources. The resources listed below are helpful for accessing UK law. Click i for more information about these resources. Legislation, often referred to as legal law, is the term applied to the written laws of a country. In the United Kingdom, legislation generally refers to Acts of Parliament, but in the broadest sense it also includes Acts enacted within the limits of the powers conferred by Acts of Parliament. Laws passed or codified by Parliament are constantly changing; You need to make sure that you are looking at the right version of the law for the research you are conducting. Before browsing the electronic resources, determine whether you are looking for the current (consolidated), historical (as passed) law, or law at a specific point in time.
The version of the law you are looking for will influence your decision as to which database to choose for your research. Halsbury`s Laws of England is an encyclopedia of law in England and Wales. Legal Notices Judgments are often reported in several legal opinions. When citing legislative reports in court, you must cite the most authoritative version of the report. The generally accepted hierarchy of legal relationships is as follows: Legal Glossary: The Non-Lawyer`s Guide to Legal Terms – A useful glossary prepared by Family Law Solicitors for its clients. Judicial law, the main source of precedent-setting law in the English legal system, is published in legal reports. To search for an Act of Parliament on electronic databases, look for the short title followed by the year. Parliament enacts laws. Through its legislative powers, Parliament can also delegate legislative powers to local councils and governments through secondary legislation. You can access the Halsbury Laws through LexisLibrary and we also have it in print, available in the library.
For more information on European Union law and the European Convention on Human Rights, see the Legal Documents of the European Union section of this thematic guide. To search a legal database for a report on a case, it is necessary to provide only the names of the parties. To do this, select the business search form, and then enter the names of the parties in the Case Name search box. Most new laws or amendments to existing laws are proposed by the government. However, anyone can make a recommendation for a new law or an amendment to an existing law. For a proposal (bill) to become law in the United Kingdom, it must be approved by the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Subscription databases often provide information about the status of the legislation or case, so you can check if it is still considered a “good law”. Precedent refers to the judgment or decision of a court used to inform the decision in subsequent similar cases. These judgments and decisions are usually recorded in a legislative report. It is considered an authoritative commentary on the law and is therefore useful if you are working in a new area of law and need to find the most important information (cases, legislation, commentaries) to get started. Common law refers to legal rules developed by the courts, not to statutes created by Parliament.
English law operates a common law system in which judgments and decisions rendered by courts are regarded as the main source of law. You need to make sure that the key documents you cite are “good law.” Legislation can be changed by significant institutions, and cases can then be dealt positively or negatively in court. In addition to the general legal reports described above, cases are reported in specialist legal opinions, e.g. criminal law reports (Crim LR). Often, cases that relate to a particular area of law are reported in one of these series, even if they do not appear in one of the general series. Here are some of the bills currently before Parliament. Click on the “View Website” link to view all bills currently before Parliament. Unreported cases Cases that are not included in one of the legal reporting series are referred to as unreported cases. Only a very small percentage of cases are reported in legal reports, resulting in a large number of unreported cases. Transcripts of judgments, summaries and case notes of unreported cases are often available free of charge on the Court`s website. Official case files are also available in specialized legal databases.
Law and Rights – These pages, created by Citizens Advice, inform you about legal and civil rights and explain how you should be treated by the police and prison system.
