Law of the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom has three distinctly different[1] legal systems, each of which derives from a particular geographical area for a variety of historical reasons: English law, Scots law, Northern Ireland law,[2] and, since 2007, calls for a fourth type, that of purely Welsh law as a result of Welsh devolution, with further calls for a Welsh justice system.[3][4][5]

In fulfilment of its former EU treaty obligations, European Union directives were actively transposed into the UK legal systems under the UK parliament's law-making power. Upon Brexit, EU law was transplanted into domestic law as "retained EU law", though the UK remained temporarily in alignment with EU regulations during the transition period from 31 January to 31 December 2020.

  1. ^ "Two jurisdictions: a shared inheritance". GOV.UK. UK Government. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  2. ^ "The UK has three legal systems, operating in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland"], direct.gov.uk, accessed 12 March 2007
  3. ^ "Written Statement: Update on the development of the justice system and the legal sector in Wales (30 September 2021)". GOV.WALES. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Plaid Cymru call for devolution of justice to Wales - 'we can't be treated as an appendage to England'". Nation.Cymru. 29 November 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  5. ^ "Devolution a 'necessary step' towards a better Welsh criminal justice system, academics argue". Cardiff University. Retrieved 22 February 2023.