Okuzeka
Law vocabulary · Legal Systems & Sources of Law

Common law

Meaning in law, with examples

nounCommon term

In law, common law means: The legal system that developed in England and is used in countries such as the US, Canada and Australia, where court decisions are a main source of law; also the judge-made rules themselves.

In Turkish: common law, Anglo-Sakson hukuku, içtihat hukuku

How it is used

Used in two ways: for the legal tradition ('common law countries', contrasted with civil law countries) and for rules developed by judges ('a common law duty', 'at common law'). Turkish lawyers usually keep the English term.

Example sentences

  1. In common law countries, judges play a major role in developing the law.

  2. Negligence is largely a creation of the common law rather than of statute.

Common collocations

  • common law system
  • common law countries
  • at common law
  • common law duty
  • civil lawA legal system based mainly on written codes, used in most of continental Europe, Latin America and Turkey; also the area of law that deals with private disputes rather than crimes.
  • case lawLaw that comes from the decisions of courts rather than from statutes; the body of earlier judgments that judges and lawyers rely on.
  • precedentAn earlier court decision that judges use as an example or a rule when they decide later cases with similar facts or legal questions.
  • stare decisisThe principle that courts should follow earlier decisions on the same legal question, so that the law stays consistent and predictable; Latin for 'to stand by things decided'.

More terms: Legal Systems & Sources of Law

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.