the legal system in England and most of the US which has developed over a period of time from old customs and court decisions, rather than laws made in Parliament

它是独立于国家制定法之外，依据某种社会权威确立的、具有强制性和习惯性的行为规范的总和。它既非纯粹的道德规范，也不是完全的法律规范，而是介于道德与法律之间的准法规范。