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Northern Ireland law concerns the legal system of Northern Ireland.^[1]

Background

For the purposes of private international law the United Kingdom is divided into three states each with a separate legal system and jurisdiction:

• English law in England and Wales
• Northern Ireland law in Northern Ireland
• Scots law in Scotland

Northern Ireland is a common law jurisdiction. Its common law is very similar to English common law and derives from the same sources. However there are some important differences in law and procedure between Northern Ireland and England and Wales.

Current statute law of Northern Ireland comprises Acts of Parliament of the United Kingdom Parliament which apply to Northern Ireland and acts of the devolved Northern Ireland Assembly, as well as Statutory Instruments made by Departments of the Northern Ireland Executive and the British Government. Also remaining on the statute books are Acts of the Parliament of Northern Ireland passed between 1920 and 1972, Orders in Council made during direct rule, and certains Acts of the Irish Parliament made before the Act of Union 1800, and Acts of the English Parliament and British Parliament extended to Ireland under Poyning's Law between 1494 and 1782.

See also

Legislatures

• Northern Ireland Assembly
• Parliament of Northern Ireland
• House of Commons of Northern Ireland
• Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention

Legal system

• Courts of Northern Ireland
• Northern Ireland Court Service
• Advocate General for Northern Ireland
• Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland
• Law Society of Northern Ireland

Policing

• Police Service of Northern Ireland
• Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland
• Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland
• Northern Ireland Policing Board
• Royal Ulster Constabulary
• Royal Irish Constabulary

Laws

• List of Acts of the Northern Ireland Parliament
• List of Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly
• List of Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland
• List of Orders in Council for Northern Ireland
• Prevention of Terrorism Act (Northern Ireland)

Other

• Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
• The Troubles
• Shoot-to-kill policy in Northern Ireland

References

Further reading

• Britain's Legal Systems, Central Office of Information, 1997, ISBN 0117017132
• Criminal Justice Systems in Europe, Bo Svensson, 1995, ISBN 9138304821
• Law and State: The Case of Northern Ireland, Kevin Boyle, Tom Hadden and Paddy Hillyard, 1975
• The Legal System of Northern Ireland, Brice Dickson, 1993, ISBN 0853894744

External links

• The judicial system in Northern Ireland, by Directgov
• PDF - Northern Ireland law - Law Library Guide, Queen's University, Belfast
• British and Irish Legal Information Institute
• legal-island.com
• Law Centre (NI)