CASELAW

caselaw. The law to be found in the collection of reported cases that form all or part of the body of law within a given jurisdiction. — Also written case law; caselaw. — Also termed decisional law; adjudicative law; juri-sprudence; organic law.

“Case law in some form and to some extent is found wherever there is law. A mere series of decisions of individual cases does not of course in itself constitute a system of law. But in any judicial system rules of law arise sooner or later out of the solution of practical problems, whether or not such formulations are desired, intended or consciously recognized. These generalizations contained in, or built upon, past decisions, when taken as normative for future disputes, create a legal system.” Karl N. Llewellyn, “Case Law” in 3 Ency. Soc. Sci. 249 (1930). [Blacks Law 8th]