The first definition of “common law” given in Black’s Law Dictionary, 10th edition, 2014, is “The body of law derived from judicial decisions, rather than from statutes or constitutions;
Common law is also known as judicial precedent or judge-made law, or case law
Black’s Law Dictionary 10th Ed., definition 2, differentiates “common law” jurisdictions and legal systems from “civil law” or “code” jurisdictions. Common law systems place great weight on court decisions, which are considered “law” with the same force of law as statutes—for nearly a millennium, common law courts have had the authority to make law where no legislative statute exists, and statutes mean what courts interpret them to mean.
« Back to Glossary Index