Home > The Judicial Branch > Sources of Law

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

  • Identify sources of law, including constitutions, statutes, regulations, judicial precedent, and local ordinances.
  • Compare and contrast civil and criminal law.
  • Describe the military and juvenile justice systems.

Overview

Where do laws come from? This lesson teaches students about the sources, types, and unique systems of law that exist in the United States. Students learn about sources of law from the Constitution to local ordinances. They also compare and contrast civil and criminal law and peek into the special systems of military and juvenile justice.

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