Common law | Definition, Origins, Development, & Examples | Britannica
Nov 21, 2025 · Common law, the body of customary law, based on judicial decisions and embodied in reports of decided cases, that has been administered by the courts of England since the Middle …
Application of common law | Britannica
Under the common-law system, when a court decides and reports its decision concerning a particular case, the case becomes part of the body of law and can be used in later cases involving similar matters.
Roman law | Influence, Importance, Principles, & Facts | Britannica
Oct 27, 2025 · As a legal system, it has affected the development of law in most of Western civilization as well as in parts of the East. It forms the basis for the law codes of most countries of continental …
Japanese law | History, Legal System & Rights | Britannica
The drafters of the Japanese Civil Code (q.v.) of 1896 surveyed many legal systems, including the French, Swiss, and common laws, taking something from each. Their final product is, however, best …
Common law - English, American, Commonwealth | Britannica
Nov 21, 2025 · Common law - English, American, Commonwealth: The legal systems rooted in the English common law have diverged from their parent system so greatly over time that, in many …
Common law - 16th Century, Revolution, England | Britannica
Nov 21, 2025 · Continental mercantile law, which contained Roman-law elements, was absorbed into English law as it stood. Continental law also contributed to some of the rules of contract, such as the …
Custom | Legal System, Common Law & Precedent | Britannica
common law, the body of customary law, based upon judicial decisions and embodied in reports of decided cases, that has been administered by the common-law courts of England since the Middle …
Common law - Early Statute, Legal System, Precedent | Britannica
Oct 13, 2025 · In modern times the statutes issued prior to 1285 are sometimes treated as common law rather than statute law, as these laws tended to restate existing law or give it a more detailed …
Medieval law | Law, Philosophy, & European History | Britannica
3 days ago · In early medieval Europe legal guidelines consisted of common law, which originated in England, and uncodified laws based on tradition, custom, and precedent. These laws varied by …
Writ of habeas corpus | Constitution, Meaning, Example, & Trump ...
A writ of habeas corpus (Latin: “you should have the body”) is a common law order issued by a judge or court requiring the appearance of a prisoner or detainee before the court for a specified purpose.