Civil law systems
Definition
A legal system originating from Roman law, where laws are written into a collection or code and not determined by judges.
Analogy
Consider civil law like baking from a recipe book. All the instructions you need are clearly written down for you to follow; there's no need to guess what ingredients to use based on what was used before.
Related terms
Code Law: A systematic and comprehensive written statement of laws which apply to everyone under jurisdiction.
Statute Law: The written laws passed by legislature, parliaments or elected bodies at local level.
Legal Code: A set of rules formed into one organized body or codified form.
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