Sources of Law

• The two main types of institutions who have the authority to make law are:

  • Parliament (through legislature)
  • Courts of law (civil + criminal case law)
• The UK is divided into three main jurisdictions with separate courts:

  • England and Wales
  • Northern Ireland
  • Scotland
• Sources of legislation include:

  • UK parliament (sitting at Westminister)
  • Scottish parliament (sitting at Holyrood)
  • Non-UK sources (EU)
• Some laws of the EU which applied directly or indirectly to the UK were retained as a form of novel domestic legislation known as 'retained EU legislation' termed 'assimilated law'.
• A: Court of Session (Outer house)

  B: Sherrif Court

  C: Sheriff Appeal Court

  D: Court of Session (Inner house)

  E: Supreme Court

  
• English cases have 'persuasive' authority when considering identical points in Scottish court