Legal Studies 160, 001 - Spring 2012. Law of the United States. General overview[edit] Law affects every aspect of American life, including parking lots. Note the citations to statutes on the sign. Sources of law[edit] In the United States, the law is derived from five sources: constitutional law, statutory law, treaties, administrative regulations, and the common law (which includes case law).[16] Constitutionality[edit] Where Congress enacts a statute that conflicts with the Constitution, the Supreme Court may find that law unconstitutional and declare it invalid.[17] Notably, a statute does not disappear automatically merely because it has been found unconstitutional; it must be deleted by a subsequent statute.
American common law[edit] The United States and most Commonwealth countries are heirs to the common law legal tradition of English law.[21] Certain practices traditionally allowed under English common law were expressly outlawed by the Constitution, such as bills of attainder[22] and general search warrants.[23] Levels of law[edit] Statutes[edit] The United States House of Representatives · House.gov. Free Law Online / Internet Legal Resources. Find California Code.