Try building a house, especially in California. You hire an engineer to draw up plans that comply with all regulations, and file a permit with the county. The

Try building a house, especially in California. You hire an engineer to draw up plans that comply with all regulations, and file a permit with the county. They wait several months, point out some random thing, and request proof that it is compliant. Your engineer shows the math, citing the building code that says to use it, and you give that to the county. Several months later, the same thing happens again. I know a contractor that, after retiring, bought a lot and submitted plans to build his dream house. Ten years later, the county gave in and approved his permit, but he was too old to build the house. There's a big difference between 65 and 75. Anything that is not automatic ministerial approval is common law, not civil law, and it lets the government do whatever they feel like doing, regardless of what the laws actually say.