Standards of law are different all over the world. One of the few consistently applied codes is the Geneva Convention. The Geneva Convention refers to the four laws agreed by every country about how soldiers and civilians should be treated in war. It was adopted in 1949 and is still important to this day. The four conventions are protection for the sick, wounded, religious and medical personnel; care for the wounded at sea; humane treatment of prisoners; and the protection of all civilians. But global law is much more difficult to navigate. Below, we explore legal standards from around the world.
Common law
One type of legal system is common law. This refers to legal systems that rely on precedent. While these systems will usually have statutes, they will often rely on previous judicial decisions to inform the law. This system is usually presided over in court by a judge who will mediate between the two parties in the case. The USA is one country that extensively uses this system.
Civil law
Civil law originates from the Roman legal system. These systems will vary significantly between different countries – each will have a distinct character and set of rules. However, they all share the idea of comprehensive, frequently updated legal codes that take priority over case law. France and Germany are just some of the countries that use this method.
Religious law
Religious law is a judicial system that draws heavily upon the texts and traditions of a religion. Essentially, the statutes that the state uses will be inspired by following religious rules. Many Islamic nations use this as the basis of their legal system.
Customary law
Customary law is a system where behaviours and customs that are passed down through generations eventually end up being accepted as legal requirements within a country. These rules are rarely written down and are instead passed down by leading figures within a society. This can make understanding and observing them difficult for outsiders. Usually, customary law is combined with a mixed system to create a wider legal system.
Mixed systems
Mixed systems are the common form of law in many countries. This is where you combine the different systems above to form a wider legal code. While this can be confusing to follow, it does create a rich set of rules that can fit into all sorts of different contexts.
Navigating law across the world can be difficult – especially if you’re running a business that operates internationally. But by hiring a global legal firm, you can have peace of mind that you’re adhering to different legal standards correctly and in a smooth manner.
