Common Law legal norm

Abstract

In this paper the author attempts to define the otherness of common law legal norm in relation to that of a civilian one, through the analysis of differences identified in their formation and language. The first part deals with similarities and discrepancies in the process of creating a legal norm within two major legal families, examining the operational particularities of the two fundamentally different norm-creators. In this respect, the paper presents essential dissimilarities between the activities of a parliament as a legislator, opposed to an Anglo-American court as a creator of a binding precedent. The second part is dedicated to the analysis of the language of legal norm in two major European legal systems. The paper examines the language structure both in common law and civilian legal norms, as well as its limitations based on the particularities of forums in which they were created: the parliament and the court.

Keywords

• legal norm
• common law
• civil law
• the language of law
• legislation
• statute
• binding precedent