The Gateway To —
The Common Law Tradition
From the king’s judges of medieval England to precedent, equity and the jury: the legal tradition behind England, the United States, India, Canada, Australia and many other systems. Free articles, organized by subject, growing every week.
16 articles published so far.
Who This Page Is For
This gateway explains the common law tradition as a whole: how it grew, how courts make and follow law, and what sets it apart. It is not the law of one country; each country’s own portal covers its courts and statutes. Where a topic differs from country to country, the article says so. Everywhere else on this site, content reflects US law unless a page says otherwise.
Common Law
Foundations of Law
The Structure of Private Law in Common Law Systems: Rights, Duties, and Legal Remedies
The Doctrine of Judicial Precedent: Binding Authority, Persuasive Authority, and the Hierarchy of Courts
The Sources of Law in Common Law Jurisdictions: Legislation, Judicial Decisions, Equity, and Custom
Judicial Precedent and Stare Decisis: The Foundations of Common Law Reasoning
The Common Law Legal Tradition: Historical Origins, Development, and Global Influence
Common Law
Constitutional Law
Separation of Powers and the Organisation of Government in Common Law Jurisdictions
Parliamentary Sovereignty and Legislative Authority: The Historical and Constitutional Foundations
Constitutional Government in Common Law Systems: Constitutional Structures and Institutional Principles
Common Law
More Topics
The Role of Judges and Legal Practitioners in the Development of Common Law: Judicial Law-Making and Legal Advocacy
Statutory Interpretation and Judicial Reasoning in the Common Law Tradition
Judicial Independence and the Role of Courts in Common Law Systems
Civil Procedure in Common Law Systems: Adversarial Litigation, Pleadings, Evidence, and Remedies
Criminal Procedure in Common Law Systems: Investigation, Prosecution, Adversarial Trials, and Evidence
Equity and the Law of Trusts: The Historical Development and Modern Function of Equitable Principles
Judicial Review and the Control of Public Power: Courts, Government, and Administrative Legality
The Historical Development of English Common Law: Royal Courts, Writs, and the Formation of Legal Principles
Where this tradition lives
Jurisdictions in this tradition
England & Wales
Courts, statutes and the path to qualifying as a solicitor, with SQE Prep.
India
The Constitution, the codes, the courts and the path to the Bar, with AIBE Prep.
Canada
Federal and provincial law, common law and civil law, with NCA Prep for foreign-trained lawyers.
Australia
A common-law federation, its courts and its route to admission, with Australia Prep.
Study and practice
Qualify and practise in the common law world
Exam prep
SQE Prep: England & Wales
Practice for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination.
Exam prep
The Bar Exam Codex: United States
US bar exam practice: 2,300+ original items and a timed full exam.
Exam prep
AIBE Prep: India
Practice for the All India Bar Examination.
Exam prep
NCA Prep: Canada
Practice for the National Committee on Accreditation’s assessments for foreign-trained lawyers.
Exam prep
Australia Prep: the Priestley 11
Practice for the eleven core subjects of Australian admission.
Exam prep
FE-1 Prep: Ireland
Practice for the Law Society’s entrance examinations.
Exam prep
QLA Prep: Scotland
Practice for the Qualifying Law Assessment.
Exam prep
Singapore Bar Prep
Practice for the Singapore Bar.
Exam prep
OLQE Prep: Hong Kong
Practice for the Overseas Lawyers Qualification Examination.
Continue The Journey
Comparative Law: Tools and Charts
Put one country next to another: courts, citations, inheritance, custody, minimum wage and dozens of other free comparisons.
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