The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland contains three major legal systems which have been developed through ages. The three systems, each with their own legal rules, courts and legal professions, are based geographically. These are systems of England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. England and Wales. These two areas form one jurisdiction. The national courts (High Court, Court of Appeal and House of Lords) are based in London, but there are local courts (Magistrates’ Courts and County Courts) throughout the country and the Crown Court has many locations. Northern Ireland has some unusual features in its system, which is centered in Belfast. One such feature is the absence of a jury in “terrorist” trials. But the legal system of Northern Ireland has otherwise grown very similar to that of England and Wales. Scotland had its own system of laws and courts (based in Edinburgh) before its union with England and Wales in 1707 so Scotland retains many distinctions from the English system. It should be noted that the United Kingdom has incorporated the legal system of the European Union since 1972. The legal systems within the United Kingdom were based largely on judge-made law since the 17th century. The law developed through decisions made by judges and was called “case law” or “common law” (common to all courts of the country). The development of case law still remains an important source of law. A statement of law made by a judge in a case can become binding on later judges and can in this way become the law for everyone to follow. Precedent has a very important role in the common law. It ensures certainty and consistency and logical progression and development in the law. Many countries (especially in Continental Europe) prefer a codified system in which laws are set out in legislation and cases which apply them may be illustrative but do not become binding. Nevertheless, the common law does have advantages over codified systems — it is more flexible, it is more practical as it is derived from real life dramas played out before the courts.

1. What type of the state is in the UK?
2. What system of law is Russia’s legal system based on ?
3. What three main branches of state power do you know?
4. What three major legal systems does the UK contain?

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