What are the General Principles of Law?

The general principles of Law are a series of statements that inform about the operation of legal norms. They are part of the legal system of a country, although they are not expressly included in the constitution or laws.

The general principles of law are derived from three fundamental ideas put forward by the jurist Ulpian in the second century AD, known as tria iuris praecepta, or the three precepts of law. These principles are: live honestly (honeste vivere), do no harm to others (neminem laedere), and give to each his due (suum cuique tribuere), which refers to keeping deals as agreed.

The function of the general principles of law is to describe how the legal system works, both in the values ​​that support it and in the technical aspects. They are used to create new standards or to have a frame of reference when an interpretation of current standards is required.