In Brief: Common Law and Civil Law

OJEN In Brief resources are designed to provide high school students with an introduction to basic legal concepts. Each resource includes a short lesson plan for the teacher; a 1-4 page plain language description of the legal topic; and activities that provide students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge of the topic.

Different legal systems are used around the world. Two of the most common are Common Law and Civil Law. This handout outlines key differences between the two and develops students’ understanding of the strengths of each while increasing their knowledge of Canadian and international justice systems.