CommonLaw–UnderstandingtheLegalSystem
Thelegalsystemisanintegralpartofanysociety.Itensuresthatjusticeisservedandrightsareprotected.CommonLawisoneofthelegalsystemsthatiswidelypracticedaroundtheworld.Inthisarticle,we'llexplorewhatCommonLawis,itsorigins,andhowitworks.
WhatisCommonLaw?
CommonLawisalegalsystemthatoriginatedinEnglandandisbasedonjudges’decisions(precedent)andcustomsratherthanwrittenlaws.Itisalegalsystemthathasevolvedovertimeasjudgesinterpretlegalcustoms,principles,andcasesandmakedecisionsaccordingly.Theterm\"common\"referstothefactthattheselawsarecommontoallpeopleinthejurisdictionwheretheyoperate.
CommonLawdiffersfromtheCivilLawsystemwhichisbasedonlawsthataredecreedbylegislaturesorgovernments.CivilLawisprimarilyusedinEuropeancountriesandinLatinAmerica.
TheOriginsofCommonLaw
TheoriginsofCommonLawcanbetracedbacktothereignofWilliamIofEnglandinthe11thcentury.Thejudicialsystemwasbasedontheideathatlawsweredevelopedbyjudgesfromrulingsonindividualcases,ratherthanbylegislativeaction.IntheMiddleAges,theNormanconquestofEnglandbroughttheinitialframeworkofCommonLawtotheBritishIsles,alongwithmanyofthelegalprinciplesthatarestillinusetoday.
Overtheyears,theCommonLawsystemhasbeenrefinedbyjudgesinaprocesscalled\"judicialreview.\"Thisprocessinvolvesjudgesreviewingpastdecisionsandconsideringwhethertheystillapplytocurrentsituations.Theresultisthatovertime,CommonLawhasgrownandevolved,gainingprecedentsthatformthebasisoftoday'slegaldecisions.
HowDoesCommonLawWork?
CommonLawisalegalsystemthatisprimarilyusedinEnglish-speakingcountries,includingtheUnitedStates,Canada,andAustralia.Itisasystemthatisbasedonprecedent,whichmeansthatpastdecisionsmadeinsimilarcasesmaybeusedtoguidefuturedecisions.
ThewayCommonLawworksisthroughthedevelopmentoflegalprinciplesandprecedents.Theseprinciplesandprecedentsareformedbyacombinationofcourtdecisions,legalscholarship,andcustom.Judgesaregiventhepowertointerpretlawsandapplythemtoindividualcases,resultinginasystemthatisconstantlyevolving.
Overall,CommonLawisacomplexlegalsystemthatplaysasignificantroleinmanycountries.Understandinghowitoperatesiscrucialforanyonewhowishestopracticelaworunderstandhowthelegalsystemworks.
