判例法(英語:case law),就是以個案判例的形式表現出的法律規範,以遵循先例法律原則作為其建立的基礎。簡單而言,作為判例的先例對其後的案件具有法律約束力,可以成為日後法官審判類似案件的基本準則。當然,法院有上級和下級之分,例如原訟庭英語trial court(court of first instance)先前的判例無法約束上訴法庭的判決。英美法系以判例法為主要的法律淵源,以遵循先例為主要的司法審判原則。但在現今一些歐陸法系國家司法體制中,亦將判例法當作一種司法裁量上的輔助標準,且多為其上級法院與下級法院默認下的習慣。[1][2]

參考文獻

  1. ^ Garner, Bryan A. A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage 2nd, revised. New York: Oxford University Press. 2001: 177. In modern usage, common law is contrasted with a number of other terms. First, in denoting the body of judge-made law based on that developed in England… [P]erhaps most commonly within Anglo-American jurisdictions, common law is contrasted with statutory law ... 
  2. ^ Black's Law Dictionary - Common law 10th. 2014: 334. 1. The body of law derived from judicial decisions, rather than from statutes or constitutions; CASE LAW [contrast to] STATUTORY LAW. 

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