Common equity law

The doctrines and principles of common law are often referred to as case law, or judge made law. This is to distinguish them from laws made by parliament, acts of parliament, or statute law.

In England, it was not until the second half of the 17th century that the distinction between the two principal lawmaking institutions, parliament and the courts became separate.

At the same time as a result of the constitutional battles of the period, parliaments supremacy over the monarch and his/her courts was established. The body of precedent or previous cases is called common law. And it may bind future decisions.