(civil law) a law established by following earlier judicial decisions
a system of jurisprudence based on judicial precedents rather than statutory laws
"common law originated in the unwritten laws of England and was later applied in the United States"
Law developed by judges, courts, and agency adjudicatory tribunals, through their decisions and opinions (also called case law) (as opposed to statutes promulgated by legislatures, and regulations promulgated by the executive branch).