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 一种世界各地广泛存在的社会规范系统,主要起源于英国。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。