Case law is primarily defined as

• A. Judge-made law.
• B. The body of law created by statutes.
• C. Administrative regulations.
• D. International covenants.

Answer: (A)

Case law is the body of law formed by court decisions rather than by statutes. In many legal systems, judges resolve disputes by interpreting and applying laws to the specific facts before them, and their rulings establish rules that guide future cases. These rulings become precedents that other courts follow, creating a living body of law shaped by judicial reasoning. Case law fills in gaps, clarifies ambiguous statutory language, and adapts legal principles to new situations beyond what is written in statutes. Statutory law, by contrast, is created by legislatures in written statutes. Administrative regulations are rules issued by government agencies to implement statutes, and international covenants are treaties between nations that set obligations, though they may influence domestic law rather than constitute case law.