Common law, which some sources refer to as “judge-made” law, first appeared when judges decided cases based on the legal customs of medieval England at the time. This website is managed by The National Archives on behalf of HM Government. Pursuant to principles of federal supremacy, the federal or US Constitution is the most preeminent source of law, and state constitutions cannot supersede it. Other Sources . The list of sources in Article 38 of the Statute is frequently criticised for being incomplete. In the quest to learn and understand English Law, its sources cannot be ignored. In every country it has passed through various stages of development and several factors have contributed to its evolution. All these factors are described as the “sources” of law which may be outlined as follows:- 1. The official home of UK legislation, revised and as enacted 1267-present. Publishing all UK legislation is a core part of the remit of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office (HMSO), part of The National Archives, and the Office of the Queen's Printer for Scotland. Law, like the State itself, is the product of history. The criminal law plays central role in health and safety law and immigration law. The common sources of law are codified laws, judicial precedents, customs, juristic writings, expert opinions, morality and equity. Custom: Custom is one of the earliest sources of law. 7. The main source of employment law is statutes — Acts of Parliament and sets of regulations issued by government ministers under Acts. Most employment law in the UK is civil law. In fact, the sources of English law should be considered with an ultimate importance because it provides a basis, in which the English law lays its foundation. With the growing popularity of the idea of constitutionalism, legislations and precedents occupy the centre position amongst all the various sources of law. In This essay presents a well researched discussion of the sources of English law. It may be hard for us to imagine today, but in the early days of English common law, the law was a matter of oral tradition. Of the three sources of law, constitutional law is considered the highest and should not be supplanted by either of the other two sources of law. I thought I would post this essay as a ‘refresher’ for busy professionals who sometimes need reminding of the basic principles underlying the established legal system we all abide by. The legal sources of law in England and Wales. international law but they are not themselves creative of law and there is a danger in taking an isolated passage from a book or article and assuming without more that it accurately reflects the content of international law. This chapter discusses the sources of UK employment law and relevant institutions.