LAW 12: Classifying Canadian Law: Key Vocabulary
1. English common law: Law that originates from decisions made by judges in previous cases
2. Distinguishing a case: Identifying a case as being sufficiently different from previous cases as to warrant a different decision.
3. Statute law: A law or act passed by government
4. Jurisdiction: the political or legal authority to pass and enforce laws, or the judicial authority to decide a case.
5. Bylaws: laws that deal with local issues and are passed by municipal governments
6. Constitutional law: body of law dealing with the distribution and exercise of government powers.
7. International law: law that governs relations between independent nations.
8. Domestic law: Law that governs actually within a nation’s borders.
9. Substantive law: Law that defines the rights, duties, and obligations of citizens and government.
10. Procedural law: Law that prescribes the methods of enforcing the rights and obligations of substantive law.
11. Public law: Law related to the relationships between individuals and the state.
12. Administrative law: Law related to the relationship between people and government departments, board, and agencies.
13. Tort law: The branch of civil law that holds persons or private organizations responsible for damage they cause another person as a result of accidental or deliberate action.
14. Contract law: The branch of civil law that provides rules regarding agreements between people and businesses.
15. Family law: The branch of civil law that deals with various aspects of family life.
16. Estate law: The branch of civil law concerned with the division and distribution of property after death.
17. Property law: The branch of civil law that governs ownership rights in property.
18. Employment law: The branch of civil law that governs employee-employer relationships.
19. Diplomatic Immunity: agreement not to prosecute foreign diplomats for certain crimes they may commit while working in the host country
20. Civil Law (private law): Law governing the relationships between private individuals, between individuals and organizations, and between organizations.