
Understanding law, its sources, and how is it made
Elements like culture, economy, politics, and laws help establish and maintain working civilization. Laws are developed and enacted by the government and followed by citizens to ensure peace and harmony in the country. Beyond this basic and well-known tenet of society, it is important to understand how these rules are derived, the relationship between the law and government, and your rights in relation to the state to ensure due process of the law. Sources There are four primary sources or origins of law: The Constitution: The most fundamental source of law. The supremacy clause makes it “the supreme law of the land,” i.e., the Constitution and federal statutes take precedence over state statutes. The Constitution outlines the structure and rules for different branches of government and the Bill of Rights or the list of amendments to protect citizens’ rights. Federal and state statutes: Statutory or federal and state laws are enacted by the legislative branch of the government and carry the consequence of punishment for failure to follow the statutes. Federal, state, and local governments ensure that these statutes are followed. Administrative regulations: These regulations and rules are issued by the state and federal administrative agencies like Internal Revenue Service and Environmental Protection Agency.