Those rules should be described within your MEL and approved by your CAA. MEL items that require a maintenance action are generally a block turn back or at the descretion of the PIC to abort.
Generally once an aircraft is under it's own power, a MEL item that has no maintenance requirement can go in the log for the next station. It is at company/pilot's descretion though to return to blocks for one of these items out of convienance (being at base or hub).
Part of your question requires regulation to answer the other part just common sence.
So no it is not an internet reference, it is something designed using mfgr resources, written using the MMEL by the company and approved by a CAA. If not defined and your company has a certificate it is allot of common sence with the liability placed on the shoulder of the pic.