Of course, the question is very broad, because H-Law editors did
not post my entire message.

HF
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date sent:              Wed, 31 Oct 2001 13:23:13 -0600
From:                   Marilyn Symonds <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:                Re: (Fwd) [H-Law] Private Law under late 18th century constitution
To:                     [log in to unmask]
Send reply to:          Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
        <[log in to unmask]>

The question is very broad, but in general I believe a quick answer
to be
that the colonies and later, the states, through assemblies,
adopted the
common law of England. Later statutes passed during the
Revolutionary
period changed certain aspects of law, taxation, for example, but
family
law and property law (excluding the laws relating to inheritance, or
descent and distribution) based on English common law remained,
except
eventually for the state of Louisiana after its admission to the Union.
Family law and the basic law of inheritance has been left to the
states.
Under the U. S. Constitution, there are certain limitations on the
authority of the states to legislate in these areas, and the full faith
and credit clause is an example of the regulation of the application
of
the laws of the states.

Marilyn Symonds

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