common law
Law developed by judges, courts, and agency adjudicatory tribunals, through their…Law developed by judges, courts, and agency adjudicatory tribunals, through their decisions and opinions (also called case law) (as opposed to statutes promulgated by legislatures, and regulations promulgated by the executive branch).
» I think the number of common-law marriages is on the rise.
Meaning
4 senses(uncountable)Law developed by judges, courts, and agency adjudicatory tribunals, through their decisions and opinions (also called case law) (as opposed to statutes promulgated by legislatures, and regulations promulgated by the executive branch).
(uncountable)Legal system mainly in England and its former colonies with a heavy emphasis on judge-made law, doctrines deduced by casuistry rather than from general principles, and law distributed among judicial decisions rather than codified statutes (as opposed to civil law).
common law
(historical, uncountable)Body of law and procedure administered in certain courts (known as law courts) in England and its former colonies characterized by a rigid system of writs, with a limited set of remedies (as opposed to equity or admiralty).
(uncountable)Law of general application throughout a country, province, or state as opposed to law having only a special or local application
о́бщее пра́воóbščeje právo
- a system of jurisprudence based on judicial precedents rather than statutory laws
- (civil law) a law established by following earlier judicial decisions
Examples
9 sentencesI think the number of common-law marriages is on the rise.
Mary is Tom's common-law wife.
Tom is Mary's common-law husband.
Common-law relationships are not legal unions in France.
The common-law explanation is rather complex and better left to the professionals.
Translations
6 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
Inherited from Middle English comun lawe, comune lawe (“general law, common law”), from coInherited from Middle English comun lawe, comune lawe (“general law, common law”), from comun (“shared, universal”) + lawe (“law”), referring to the law's uniform nature throughout a jurisdiction. Compare Medieval Latin lex commūne, iūs commūne and Anglo-Norman commune lei.
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Synonyms
6 synonymsWord family
1 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable