Common law is best described as

Common law is best described as

• A. The state of mind
• B. The act of the crime
• C. Local laws enacted by governments
• D. Law created by judges in England on a case-by-case basis

Answer: (D)

Common law refers to the body of law created by judges through court decisions, built up from reasoning in individual cases and guided by prior rulings. It relies on precedent, so similar cases are decided in a consistent way (stare decisis). Originating in England, it develops rules in areas not covered by statutes, filling gaps by applying general principles to the facts at hand. This differs from the mental state required for a crime (mens rea) or the act of committing the crime (actus reus), and it isn’t simply local statutes enacted by governments. So law created by judges in England on a case-by-case basis best describes common law.

Common law refers to the body of law created by judges through court decisions, built up from reasoning in individual cases and guided by prior rulings. It relies on precedent, so similar cases are decided in a consistent way (stare decisis). Originating in England, it develops rules in areas not covered by statutes, filling gaps by applying general principles to the facts at hand. This differs from the mental state required for a crime (mens rea) or the act of committing the crime (actus reus), and it isn’t simply local statutes enacted by governments. So law created by judges in England on a case-by-case basis best describes common law.