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In addition to applying rules of law, judges must also use their own judgment on matters of interpretation.  That means they may interpret a law or statute by considering at the intent or goal of the legislature that created and passed the law.  These applications of independent interpretation along with the rest of the judge’s decision are what make up the Common Law, also known as judge made law.  By reading through various past decisions on the same area of law, an individual may have a better understanding of how a judge is most likely to interpret an underlying issue.  Judges also use these past cases and the rules of law established in them, called precedent, to decide issues in the cases that they hear. 

Source: This section developed by Sara Kelley, Librarian, Georgetown University Law Library, in partnership with the Maryland Legal Assistance Network. 

Last last reviewed no legal content 3/24/05(MLAN)