common law

the legal system in England and most of the US which has developed over a period of time from old customs and court decisions, rather than laws made in Parliament

它是獨立於國家制定法之外，依據某種社會權威確立的、具有強制性和習慣性的行為規範的總和。它既非純粹的道德規範，也不是完全的法律規範，而是介於道德與法律之間的準法規範。