Two systems of law have emerged throughout history: the common law of England and the civil law of the Roman Empire. Common law evolved from judicial decisions over time based on tradition, custom, and precedent in historical England. Civil law is derived from written legal codes in which disputes were settled by reference to edicts, broad principles, and legislation. Most of the nations of Europe, Latin America, and East Asia are governed by one of these two systems of justice. Although the two legal systems are different in many respects, they converged in the latter years of the twentieth century due to afailure of courts to keep pace with social developments and an increased reliance on statutory law in many societies.

History of Common Law

Common law originally developed as a result of the unification of England and the institutional stability provided by William the Conqueror...