What are the differences between civil law and common law?

Civil law and common law are different systems of law that are used to resolve disputes. In Washington, the civil law system is based on codes that are often written and adopted by the legislature, while the common law system is based on judicial decisions that have been handed down over time. Civil law focuses on resolving disputes between two parties—usually individuals or entities such as companies—in a court of law. It does not try to determine matters of morality and is based on a code of statutory law which is written by lawmakers. In Washington, a civil suit may be filed in order to settle the dispute. The court will assess the evidence presented by both sides and make a judgment, usually in the form of monetary compensation or other remedies. Common law, on the other hand, is based on judicial precedent. It relies on past court decisions in similar cases to determine the outcome. Common law is based on the principle that, when a dispute arises, the court should look to prior cases with similar facts and apply the same reasoning to the present dispute. In Washington, judges interpret the common law, though it is ultimately the responsibility of the jury to interpret the facts and render a verdict. To summarize, the main difference between civil law and common law is that civil law is based on written statutes and codes, while common law is based on past court decisions. In Washington, a civil lawsuit is filed when a dispute between two parties arises, and a jury is responsible for interpreting the facts and rendering a verdict in a common law case.

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What are the differences between civil law and common law?

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