Foundations of Legal Principles and Systems

📋 Course Outline

1. Legal Principles and Sources
2. Constitutional Law
3. Legal Rights and Freedoms
4. Legal Processes and Procedures
5. Judicial System Structure
6. Legal Interpretation and Application
7. Criminal Law Foundations
8. Civil Law Principles
9. Legal Ethics and Responsibilities

📖 1. Legal Principles and Sources

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Rule of Law: The principle that all individuals and institutions are subject to and accountable under the law that is fairly applied and enforced. It ensures that no one is above the law and that laws are transparent and consistent (see source content).

• Sources of Law:

  • Statute: Laws enacted by legislative bodies, such as parliaments or congresses, that are written and codified (see source content).
  • Common Law: Law developed through judicial decisions and precedents rather than through legislative statutes; it evolves through case law (see source content).
  • Customary Law: Traditional practices and customs that have gained legal recognition over time, often in specific communities or cultures (see source content).

• Legal Positivism: A theory asserting that law is a set of rules created by human authorities and that its validity is not dependent on moral considerations. According to H.L.A. Hart (1958), law is valid if it is created according to the rules of the legal system, regardless of moral content.