In the civil law tradition, laws are derived from a number of sources. The most important source is legislation, or statutory law. This is law that is enacted by a legislature, and it takes the form of statutes, ordinances, and regulations. Another significant source is case law, which consists of court decisions that interpret and apply statutory law. A third source is custom, which refers to the legal principles that have developed over time through the practices and traditions of a community. Finally, there are also general principles of law that are recognized by legal systems around the world.