The rules of law announced in court decisions are best described as which?

• A. Common law
• B. Case law
• C. Statutory law
• D. Constitutional law

Answer: (B)

Case law refers to the rules of law that courts announce in their written decisions. When judges decide a case, their reasoning interprets statutes, applies constitutional principles, and establishes precedent that guides future rulings. Those judicial opinions, once published, become part of the body of law that governs similar disputes, evolving as new decisions are issued. This is distinct from statutory law, which is created by legislatures in statutes, and from constitutional law, which stems from the Constitution itself. While common law is the broader system in which case law operates, the best term for the rules described in court decisions is case law.