What is the difference between common law and civil law?
Civil law is different from common law in a number of ways. This type of legal system originated from Roman law, and is still the standard in a number of countries around the world. Civil law countries include Brazil, France, Germany, Spain and Switzerland. Common law is based on precedent and has been used since before the time when laws were first written down. This system of justice was developed in England and is still being used in Australia, most of Canada, England, India and the United States, except for the state of Louisiana. Judges, who are asked to interpret written law, make decisions, which are then used as precedents for future cases. The Canadian province of Quebec and Louisiana in the United States operate under the civil law system.
