Summary – Common Law vs Civil Law
Common Law and Civil Law are two predominant legal systems globally, with approximately 80 countries following common law and 150 adhering to civil law. The key distinction lies in the sources of law, where common law relies on case law and precedents, while civil law emphasizes codified legislation. Common law nations, such as the United States and England, prioritize judicial decisions and legal precedents, fostering an adversarial system. In contrast, civil law systems, found in countries like China, Japan, and Germany, are rooted in comprehensive legal codes, limiting the role of judges to strict application rather than interpretation. Despite these differences, many jurisdictions integrate elements of both systems, blurring the lines between common law and civil law practices.
Difference Between Common Law and Civil Law
Difference Between Common Law and Civil Law: Common Law and Civil Law are two types of legal systems found in every country in the world. There are about 80 countries with common law systems and about 150 with civil law systems. The fundamental difference between the two systems is that case law, which is published in court rulings, is of primary importance in common law countries. On the other hand, codified legislation is predominant in nations with civil law, although these differences are not always as clear-cut as they seem. In fact, a lot of countries integrate aspects of their civil and common law systems.
In this article, we will learn about What is Common law System and Civil law System, the characteristics of both systems, the list of countries that comes under these laws, and the tabular difference between Common law and Civil law.
Table of Content
- What is Common Law System?
- Characteristics of Common Law System
- List of Common Law System Countries 2023
- What is Civil Law System?
- List of Civil Law System Countries 2023
- Difference Between Common Law and Civil Law
- Historical Backgrounds of the Common Law and Civil Law Systems