ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the varying types of legal systems that operate throughout the world and seeks to explain the process by which some 190 sovereign nations have adopted an almost universal system of international aviation law. Even though there are unique differences between the various legal systems (for example, between common law systems and civil law systems), there are also unique differences between jurisdictions within each 'family' of legal systems (for example, differences between French law and German law, although both are civil law systems). The evolution of the common law system can be traced back to England at the time of the Norman Conquest, which was in 1066. Public law regulates legislatures, governments, courts and civil institutions in their dealings with citizens and is aimed at protecting the freedom of individuals, whereas private law deals with the relationships and transactions between individuals.
