BLAW 3201 Lecture 13: Civil Code article 1 - 7
Document Summary
The sources of law are legislation and custom. Legislation is a solemn expression of legislative will. Custom results from practice repeated for a long time and generally accepted as having acquired the force of law. When no rule for a particular situation can be derived from legislation or custom, the court is bound to proceed according to equity. To decide equitably, resort is made to justice, reason, and prevailing usages. No one may avail himself of ignorance of the law. In the absence of contrary legislative expression, substantive laws apply prospectively only. Procedural and interpretative laws apply both prospectively and retroactively, unless there is a legislative expression to the contrary. Persons may not by their juridical acts derogate from laws enacted for the protection of the public interest. Any act in derogation of such laws is an absolute nullity. Laws are repealed, either entirely or partially, by other laws.
