Common law is based on what?

• A. Statutes enacted by the legislature
• B. Oral traditions derived from general customs, principles, and rules handed down over the years and reflected in the decisions of the courts
• C. Administrative regulations issued by agencies
• D. International treaties

Answer: (B)

Common law evolves from long-standing customs and the decisions of courts that interpret and apply those customs over time. It grows through precedent—when judges decide a case, their reasoning becomes a guide for future cases, gradually building a body of rules that adapts as society changes. This is different from statutory law, which comes from statutes enacted by the legislature, or administrative law, which comes from regulations created by government agencies. International treaties can influence domestic law but aren’t the source of common-law rules themselves. The described idea—rules derived from oral traditions and court-reported decisions—best captures how common law is formed.