common-law

adjective

com·mon-law | \ ˈkä-mən-ˌlȯ

Definition of common-law

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : of, relating to, or based on the common law

2 : relating to or based on a common-law marriage

common law

noun

Definition of common law (Entry 2 of 2)

: the body of law developed in England primarily from judicial decisions based on custom and precedent, unwritten in statute or code, and constituting the basis of the English legal system and of the system in all of the U.S. except Louisiana

Examples of common-law in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The Americans also strongly reaffirmed the traditional common law understanding of the Sheriff’s powers and authorities, especially the Sheriff’s autonomy and independence. — Marwa Eltagouri, Washington Post, "Jeff Sessions spoke of the ‘Anglo-American heritage of law enforcement.’ Here’s what that means.," 12 Feb. 2018 England abolished its version of felony murder in 1957, followed by India, Canada and other common law countries, and the United States remains the only country where the felony murder doctrine still exists. — Abbie Vansickle, New York Times, "If He Didn’t Kill Anyone, Why Is It Murder?," 27 June 2018 Gamble argues that the constitutional prohibition against double jeopardy is deeply rooted in English common law, which allowed individuals acquitted by foreign courts to raise their acquittals as a defense in British courts. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "A Supreme Court Gamble," 5 Dec. 2018 The Supreme Court has long recognized that two particularly useful sources in understanding constitutional terms are British common law and enactments of the First Congress. — Kate Storey, Town & Country, "Could Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Child Be a US President and In Line For the Throne?," 15 Oct. 2018 These legal concepts go back to 17th-century English common law, in which much of American law still finds its basis. — German Lopez, Vox, "Florida man who killed black man in parking lot charged with manslaughter," 13 Aug. 2018 Just as Hong Kong benefited from the British legal system, so Dubai has imported British-style common law for the Dubai International Finance Centre, a city within a city where foreign lawyers adjudicate on business matters within its confines. — The Economist, "Do buyHow Dubai became a model for free trade, openness and ambition," 21 June 2018 In a unanimous 2011 decision, the Supreme Court said that the Clean Air Act displaced the federal common law of nuisance, leaving enforcement and regulation to the Environmental Protection Agency. — John Schwartz, New York Times, "Judge Dismisses Suit Against Oil Companies Over Climate Change Costs," 25 June 2018 The cities had relied on the area of public nuisance under state common law, which allows courts to hold parties responsible for actions that interfere with the use of property. — John Schwartz, New York Times, "Judge Dismisses Suit Against Oil Companies Over Climate Change Costs," 25 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'common-law.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for common-law

common-law

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of common-law

(Entry 1 of 2)

—used to describe a relationship between a man and a woman that is considered to be a marriage because the man and woman have lived together for a long period of time

common law

noun

English Language Learners Definition of common law (Entry 2 of 2)

: the laws that developed from English court decisions and customs and that form the basis of laws in the U.S.

See the full definition for common law in the English Language Learners Dictionary

common law

noun

Legal Definition of common law

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a body of law that is based on custom and general principles and embodied in case law and that serves as precedent or is applied to situations not covered by statute the common law of torts : as

a : the body of law that was first developed in the English courts of law as distinguished from equity and that allows for particular remedies (as damages or replevin) in suits at common law…the right of trial by jury shall be preserved — U.S. Constitution amend. VII — compare equity sense 2

b : the body of law developed in England that is the basis of U.S. federal law and of state law in all states except Louisiana — compare civil law sense 2, statutory law