Case Law
Law established by the outcome of former court cases. Also known as common law or judge-made law, it operates through the doctrine of precedent.
Independent editorial summary — not the official statute text. Read the official version on legislation.gov.uk.
England and Wales has no single written constitutional document. As the judiciary's own guidance explains, the country's law 'is to be found in the statutes passed by Parliament and in the common law, which developed over the centuries in the decisions of the courts.' Case law is this second strand: the body of legal principle built up from what courts have actually decided, rather than from what Parliament has enacted.
Example
The Supreme Court's decision in Rock Advertising Limited (Respondent) v MWB Business Exchange Centres Limited (Appellant) [2018] UKSC 24 — on whether a contract clause requiring variations to be agreed in writing is legally effective — is itself a piece of case law that later courts take into account when similar disputes arise.
Related terms
Official sources
This explanation is drawn from the official sources below; every substantive statement is verified against them. For advice on a specific matter, see our find help page.