From the researcher’s perspective, the legal system of the VCS is best approached by examining the documents that established the nation and formed the constitutional basis for the world’s smallest nation state. The most useful work for this purpose is Amos Peaslee, Constitutions of Nations, which provides a short summary of the nation’s legal composition, the text of the Lateran Treaty, extracts from the accompanying 1929 Concordat, the complete text of the original Fundamental Laws of 1929, and a short bibliography.
Amos Peaslee, Constitutions of Nations: The First Compilation in the English language of the Texts of the Constitutions of the Various Nations of the World (2d ed., 1956) (STACKS JF11 .P42 1956).
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Philip Raworth, Constitutions of Dependencies and Territories (Albert E. Blaustein & Phyllis M. Blaustein eds., 1998) (STACKS K3157.E5 C65 1998).
HeinOnline provides digital access to a number of the VCS fundamental laws in their World Constitutions Illustrated library. In addition, that collection also includes commentaries, scholarly articles and bibliographies that might be of interest to those researching the jurisdiction.
A link to the most recent Fundamental Law (Lex Fundamentalis) of the Vatican City State, a Motu Proprio issued by Pope Frances on May 13 (effective 6/7/23), 2023, is available below.