ABSTRACT
The legal system of England and Wales has evolved over a considerable period of time. Its origins can be traced back to before the Norman Conquest of 1066. Whereas in many countries there is a criminal code and a civil code, in England and Wales the two main elements of law are common law, which is largely dependent on precedent, and statute law, which consists of Acts of Parliament (though the division between criminal and civil law is fully recognised). Scottish law differs from that of England and Wales in a number of important respects, and the procedure and officials of the Scottish courts are peculiar to that country.
