True or False: Historical legal precedents is the basis of common law.

The statement that historical legal precedents are the basis of common law is true. Common law is a legal system where past judicial decisions, known as precedents, play a pivotal role in shaping the law. This approach allows for consistency and predictability in legal outcomes, as courts look to prior cases to guide their rulings on similar issues. The reliance on historical precedents means that as new cases are decided, they can either reinforce or refine existing legal interpretations, thereby evolving the law over time.

In many common law jurisdictions, judges have the responsibility to interpret laws and their decisions create authoritative legal principles that can be cited in future cases. This system contrasts with civil law jurisdictions, where laws are primarily derived from statutes and codes rather than case law. Thus, the foundation of common law rests heavily on the accumulation of these historical legal decisions, making the assertion in the question an accurate reflection of its principles.