Common Law Definition Related Terms: Equity , Statutes , Civil Law , Lex Non Scripta , Consuetudo Volentes Ducit, Lex Nolentes Trahit , Ecclesiastical Law , Canon Law , Custom , Law , Roman Law , Constitution A body of English law of law which originated with an oral tradition of tribal justice in Britain thousands of years ago and which developed into a unique, cohesive national body of law (the realm ) developed and set to writing by English judges over time, and which was eventually imported as the law of British colonies throughout the world such as the United States of America (except Louisiana), Canada (except Quebec) and India. "The common law is judicially created law that is developed on a case by case basis," wrote Chief Justice Hannah of the Supreme Court of Arkansas in Mason v State . In R v Rusby , Justice Kenyon wrote: "The common law, though not to be...