Practical Law Glossary Item w-010-3521 (Approx. 3 pages)
Glossary
Federal Common Law
A legally binding set of federal rules adopted by the federal courts to govern issues that are not expressly addressed by the terms of a constitutional or statutory provision. The federal courts may develop federal common law to protect federal interests (for example, resolving conflicts among the states) or to apply if Congress has authorized the federal courts to establish substantive law.