Case Law

Case law is created by the judicial branches of governments. Each state creates case law through its state courts. Similarly, federal courts establish federal case law. Case law is usually made after a trial has concluded and one of the parties has appealed the case. This may result in a review of parts of the trial by a higher court — a process called appellate review. When the appellate court publishes its opinion on a case, that opinion may state, and thereby create, new case law.

The effectiveness of case law arises out of the doctrine of stare decisis (Lat.) according to which once case law is established, it must be followed by lower courts in other similar cases. Stare decisis generally does not strictly bind appellate courts because they can overturn their own case law when justified by new conditions or better understanding of the issues.

Vocabulary

statute статут, законодательный акт парламента

ordinance указ, декрет, постановление

to enact a law принимать закон; вводить закон

authority власть, полномочие

rules and regulations правила и нормативы

administrative agency правительственные учреждения

to invalidate лишать законной силы

void недействительный; не имеющий юридической силы

to allocate распределять

system of checks and balances система сдержек и противовесов

Statutory Law статутное право (право, выраженное в законах, «писаный закон»)