Civil Law

Definition

Civil law refers to legal systems in which the law is developed through written instruments, as distinct from common law systems derived from court decisions.

Discussion

The term "civil law" sometimes means, and often in the United States, private law. It is also distinct from "civil jurisprudence", which refers to the academic discipline concerned with positive law.

Civil law is in contrast to common law, whereby law is derived from court decisions rather than solely from written code.

In civil law systems, courts are tasked with applying written codes using general principles and abstractions.