The Three Great Sources — KSLU Jurisprudence Notes

The Three Great Sources

flowchart TD
    ROOT["Sources of Law"]:::root
    ROOT --> A["Legislation<br/>(deliberate law-making —<br/>supreme & subordinate)"]:::leaf
    ROOT --> B["Precedent<br/>(judicial decisions —<br/>stare decisis)"]:::leaf
    ROOT --> C["Custom<br/>(long usage accepted<br/>as law)"]:::leaf

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    classDef leaf fill:#E6F3FF,stroke:#1E3A8A,color:#000;
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Salmond’s division: formal source (the State’s will, which gives a rule legal force) and material sources (legislation, precedent, custom — which supply its content). The unit’s three essays correspond to the three boxes above; each demands kinds, comparative merits, and the leading authorities.