case law

noun

: law established by judicial decision in cases

Examples of case law in a Sentence

Case law says that a person has a right to privacy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Contracts must reflect jurisdictional nuances, regulatory requirements and evolving case law. Robert Scott, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 One way to reduce the risk of this happening is to connect the AI model to a body of legal material, such as case law and treatises. Ellen Sheng, CNBC, 19 May 2026 The decision conflicted with decades of case law. ABC News, 18 May 2026 Kansas law Under Kansas case law, speed alone does not necessarily constitute reckless driving, and the way the law is written, troopers need to address other aggravating factors, Payne said. Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for case law

Word History

First Known Use

1731, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of case law was in 1731

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Cite this Entry

“Case law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/case%20law. Accessed 26 May. 2026.

Legal Definition

case law

noun
: law established by judicial decisions in cases as distinguished from law created by legislation

called also decisional law

see also common law

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