What is common law defined as?

Common law is defined as a body of law developed from customs and judicial decisions. This legal system relies heavily on precedents set by court rulings over time, which means that the outcomes of individual cases contribute to the development of legal principles. In common law jurisdictions, judges play a critical role in interpreting and applying the law based on these precedents, leading to a more flexible and evolving legal framework as societal values and norms change.

This approach contrasts with systems that primarily rely on written laws or statutes, where legislative bodies enact laws that are applied universally. While legislative statutes and local government enactments represent important aspects of law, they do not embody the overarching nature of common law, which is built on historical decisions and societal practices. Similarly, international treaties constitute obligations between nations and do not address the domestic legal principles governed by common law.