Introduction to Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Introduction to Law - Essay Example Should any element be absent, their effects vary, and the contract would be rendered either void, voidable or unenforceable, depending on the element missing. Legislation includes the statutes and Acts of Parliament, which are laws that pass through the legislative process of both Houses in order to become law. Some significant statutes passed include the Education (Student Loans) Act of 1998, the Education (Schools) Act of 1997, the Protection from Harassment Act of 1997, the School Inspections Act of 1996, and the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995, among others. This is the law made by judges. Although judges are not allowed to legislate, it is through hearing cases and rendering judgments before the courts that cases become a source of law. The basic concept of this is through the doctrine of stare decisis, which translates, "stand by what has previously been decided." Through stare decisis, a statement of law made by a judge in a case can become binding on subsequent cases and can become the law, by setting precedents for judges in later cases to follow when they find that the ruling of a case held earlier applies to a current case that has similar facts and legal issues. This source is acquired through the UK's participation in the European Union. As an organisation of European States, it has a developed system of internal law directly affects laws of member states. Examples of European Community law are treaties, EU institution's regulations, directives, decisions and recommendations, legal decisions of the European Court of Justice, etc. Legislative Process Before it proceeds to become an Act of Parliament, a bill passes through many stages outlined below: First reading - formal presentation of the bill Second reading - start of debates on principles of the