Which term refers to the collection of legal principles established by court decisions?

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

Answer: (A)

Case law consists of the legal principles established by court decisions. When judges decide cases, they interpret statutes, resolve disputes, and set precedents that guide future rulings. Over time these rulings accumulate into a body of rules known as case law, which evolves as courts address new issues. Statutory law refers to laws written by lawmakers, which case law helps interpret and apply. Common law is the broader system that often relies on case law, but the specific collection of rules born from judicial decisions is case law. Civil law, by contrast, centers on codified statutes rather than rules created by courts.