https://thelordsfreeman.com/categories/law/Recent content in Law on The Lord's FreemanHugoen-gbSat, 14 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://thelordsfreeman.com/law/magna-carta-common-law/Sat, 14 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://thelordsfreeman.com/law/magna-carta-common-law/<h2 id="what-is-common-law">What Is Common Law?</h2> <p>English common law is not a set of rules written by parliament. It is a body of legal principles developed over centuries through judicial decisions, local custom, and the inherited rights of the English people. Its authority does not derive from statute — it predates statute. Common law is the law of the land, recognised rather than created by the courts.</p> <p>This distinction is fundamental. Statute law is made by parliament and can be repealed by parliament. Common law, by contrast, is held to be the ancient and inherent right of the people. It was not granted by any government — it was acknowledged by government as already existing.</p>