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法律英语考试之美国法根底AFEDERALLEGALSYSTEM：OverviewTheAmericanlegalsystemhasseverallayers，morepossiblythaninmostothernations.Onereasonisthedivisionbetweenfederalandstatelaw.Tounderstandthis，ithelpstorecallthattheUnitedStateswasfoundednotasonenation，butasaunionof13colonies，eachclaimingindependencefromtheBritishCrown.TheDeclarationofIndependence（1776）thusspokeofthegoodPeopleoftheseColonies“butalsopronouncedthattheseUnitedColoniesare，andofRightoughttobe，FREEANDINDEPENDENTSTATES.“ThetensionbetweenonepeopleandseveralstatesisaperennialthemeinAmericanlegalhistory.Asexplainedbelow，theU.S.Constitution（adopted1787，ratified1788）beganagradualandattimeshotlycontestedshiftofpowerandlegalauthorityawayfromthestatesandtowardthefederalgovernment.Still，eventodaystatesretainsubstantialauthority.AnystudentoftheAmericanlegalsystemmustunderstandhowjurisdictionisapportionedbetweenthefederalgovernmentandthestates.TheConstitutionfixedmanyoftheboundariesbetweenfederalandstatelaw.Italsodividedfederalpoweramonglegislative，executive，andjudicialbranchesofgovernment（thuscreatingaseparationofpowers“betweeneachbranchandenshriningasystemofchecks-and-balances“topreventanyonebranchfromoverwhelmingtheothers），eachofwhichcontributesdistinctivelytothelegalsystem.Withinthatsystem，theConstitutiondelineatedthekindsoflawsthatCongressmightpass.Asifthiswerenotsufficientlycomplex，U.S.lawismorethanthestatutespassedbyCongress.Insomeareas，Congressauthorizesadministrativeagenciestoadoptrulesthatadddetailtostatutoryrequirements.AndtheentiresystemrestsuponthetraditionallegalprinciplesfoundinEnglishCommonLaw.AlthoughboththeConstitutionandstatutorylawsupersedecommonlaw，courtscontinuetoapplyunwrittencommonlawprinciplestofillinthegapswheretheConstitutionissilentandCongresshasnotlegislated.
