Why We Need Law - Principles and Sources

What law is for ⚖️

Every day, laws shape what you can and cannot do - from the age you can drive to how a shop must treat you. **Law** is the set of rules a society agrees to live by and can enforce. This module answers two big questions: **why** does a society need laws at all, and **where do laws come from**? Along the way you will meet the principles that keep the law **fair**, and the two sources it flows from.

Why a society needs laws 🗂️

Laws are not just about punishment. They do several jobs at once - the next steps ask you to spot them.

Match each reason to an example 🔗

Which job is this? 🛡️

Parliament passes a law to regulate a brand-new kind of technology that did not exist ten years ago. Which reason for having laws does this best show?

• Responding to new situations, such as scientific and technological change
• Settling a dispute between two people
• Punishing someone who has already broken a rule
• Raising money for the government

The law in a nutshell 🔞

Laws exist to protect the public, _____ disputes and ensure _____ treatment. The law also sets minimum _____ limits - such as to drive or vote - which _____ young people until they are ready. The age of criminal _____ is when a person can be held responsible for a crime.

Spot the legal principles ✅

Select the TWO fundamental principles of law that help uphold people's rights and freedoms.

• The presumption of innocence, meaning a person is innocent until proven guilty
• Equality before the law, so everyone is subject to the same rules
• The wealthy should receive lighter sentences
• Trials should be kept secret from the public

Four principles that keep law fair 🏛️

These principles protect everyone's rights and freedoms:\n\n- **Rule of law**: everyone, including the government, is subject to the law and no one is above it.\n- **Presumption of innocence**: you are innocent until proven guilty. - **Equality before the law**: the law applies to everyone in the same way.\n- **Access to justice**: everyone should be able to use the legal system to defend their rights, whatever their means.

The two sources of law 📜

In England and Wales, law comes from two main sources. (Note: EU law was removed as a source after the UK left the EU, so it is no longer one of the current sources.)

Match each principle to its meaning 🧩

One country, three systems 🇬🇧

Which statement about legal systems in the United Kingdom is correct?

• England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland each have their own legal system
• The whole UK shares one single, identical legal system
• Only Scotland has laws; the rest of the UK has none
• All UK law is now decided by the EU

How common law grows 🪜

An interactive activity.

Apply the principles 🧭

An interactive activity.

Your turn ✍️

An interactive activity.

The grade-9 habit 🌟

Two things sharpen a Law and Justice answer. First, when asked for the **sources of law**, name the two current ones - **common law** and **legislation**. EU law was **removed** as a source after Brexit, so listing it would date your answer. Second, do not just name a principle - **apply** it. Say what the **rule of law**, the **presumption of innocence**, **equality before the law** or **access to justice** actually protects in the situation in front of you. Naming the principle earns a mark; showing what it does earns the top band.