On the European continent a different idea of law holds sway, the Roman Law system (with caveats, but this is largely true).

FORBES: The Problem With Greek CDS

AD, Ulpian was expounding Roman law as a system based on the Stoic idea that we are all born free and equal, that slavery is against nature, and that all people, including slaves, possess a dignity that can be vindicated in legal proceedings.

ECONOMIST: Letters

Brazil's legal system derives from Roman law, in which judges generally base their decisions less on the precedents set by their predecessors and more on their understanding of a written code.

ECONOMIST: The price of justice | The

South Africa is one of just a few countries in the world that that has a court system that takes root in Roman-Dutch law.

NPR: A Look At South Africa's Justice System