Legal methods[edit]

There are distinguished methods of legal reasoning (applying the law)

and methtods of interpreting (construing) the law. The former are legal
syllogism, which holds sway in civil law legal systems, analogy, which
is present in common law legal systems, especially in the US, and
argumentative theories that occur in both systems. The latter are
diffrent rules (directives) of legal interpretation such as directives of
linguistic interpretation, teleological interpretation or systemic
interpretation as well as more specific rules, for instance, golden
rule or mischief rule. There are also many other arguments and
cannons of interpretation which together make statutory
interpretation possible.

Legal systems[edit]
Main article: List of national legal systems
In general, legal systems can be split between civil law and common
law systems.[69] The term "civil law" referring to a legal system should
not be confused with "civil law" as a group of legal subjects distinct
from criminal or public law. A third type of legal system—accepted by
some countries without separation of church and state—is religious
law, based on scriptures. The specific system that a country is ruled
by is often determined by its history, connections with other countries,
or its adherence to international standards. The sourcesthat
jurisdictions adopt as authoritatively binding are the defining features
of any legal system. Yet classification is a matter of form rather than
substance, since similar rules often prevail.