Final answer:
Appellate decisions are not common law but serve as important signals through stare decisis, guiding future judicial decisions and contributing to legal consistency.
Step-by-step explanation:
Appellate decisions are not technically considered common law because they are not a source of law in the way legislative statutes or constitutional provisions are. Instead, appellate court decisions serve as interpretations and applications of existing laws to the facts of a particular case.
However, they still act as a signal through the doctrine of stare decisis, as they set precedents that inferior courts are expected to follow. Appellate decisions contribute to the development of the law by clarifying, distinguishing, or altering how laws are understood and applied in future cases.
This adherence to precedent ensures consistency and stability in legal interpretation, contributing to the legitimacy of the court system.