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founded not as one nation but as a union of 13 colonies, each claiming independence from the British
Crown. The US Constitution, implemented in 1789, began shifting power away from the states and
toward
the federal government, though the states today retain substantial legal authority.
US law draws its authority from four sources: constitutional law, statutory law, administrative
regulations, and case law.
Constitutional law is based on the US Constitution and serves as the supreme federal law.
Taken together with those of the state constitutions, these documents outline the
general structure of
the federal and state governments and provide the rules and limits of power.
US statutory law is legislation enacted by the US Congress and is codified in the United States
Code. The 50 state legislatures have similar authority to enact state statutes.
Administrative law is the authority delegated to federal and state executive agencies.
Case law, also referred to as common law, covers areas where constitutional or statutory law
is lacking. Case law is a collection of judicial decisions, customs, and general principles that began in
England centuries ago, that were adopted in America at the time of the Revolution, and that continue to
develop today.
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