Synonyms

case law

American

noun

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

case law British

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of case law

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

case law

That’s not supported in the case law, is it?

From Slate ● Sep. 30, 2026

“We have some case law which says they can void a real-estate transaction if it’s done for the purpose of avoiding recovery. But this was an expansion beyond that,” Rowan said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

“I am not sure that today’s opinion will stand the test of time. The citizenship clause ‘added greatly to the dignity and glory of American citizenship,’ Thomas wrote, citing previous case law.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

While state laws govern how marriages are unwound, resolutions for unmarried couples often hinge on a court’s interpretation of case law, with varying outcomes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 20, 2026

In fact, there was no case law cited in the entire order:

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023