case law

American  

noun

1. law established by judicial decisions in particular cases, instead of by legislative action.

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case law British  

noun

1. law established by following judicial decisions given in earlier cases Compare statute law See also precedent

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Etymology

Origin of case law

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

Rulemaking is intricate work, they said, requiring expertise in the subject at hand as well as in existing statutes, regulations and case law.

From Salon • Feb. 2, 2026

Normally, Colorado case law takes a relatively capacious view of how a crime’s “gravity” should be measured.

From Slate • Dec. 29, 2025

There have been hundreds of examples of lawyers relying on AI systems that “hallucinated” case law or misrepresented exhibits and filings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 21, 2025

The state also claims that government code and case law make the California Department of Parks and Recreation immune from liability.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 19, 2025

Though the judge in the John Moore case said patients must be told if their tissues have commercial potential, there was no law enacted to enforce that ruling, so it remains only case law.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot