CASE LAW - Also known as Common
Law. The law created by judges when deciding individual
disputes or cases. Non-statutory law.
Legal principles that are developed by appellate
courts when deciding appeals are collectively termed
the case law or common law. Since the 12th century,
the common law has been England's primary system of
law. When the United States became independent, states
adopted the English common law as their law. Since
that time, decisions by U.S. courts have developed
a body of U.S. case law which has superseded English
common law in most areas.
