ABSTRACT

This article begins with a glance at what generally distinguishes public law from private law, then highlights the chief different origins of two main western legal traditions: common law and civil law. Although traditionally belonging to the civil law tradition, parts of Cambodian legal system have increasingly adopted and applied stare decisis legal method found in the common law too. This adoption is evidenced in the way the Arbitration Council (labor) has developed its jurisprudence over the years. I believe that the influence of stare decisis will steadily increase in Cambodia.

Key words: common law, civil law, jurisprudence.