legal memory

American  

noun

Law.

1. a period of time, now usually established by statute, during which custom, conduct, or a state of affairs must have existed or continued in order for it to have taken on the force of law or to establish a legal right or title not otherwise provable.

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Etymology

Origin of legal memory

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

Perry, the publicity campaign to shape the cultural and legal memory of their effort continues.

From New York Times

With respect for the legal memory of Boswell, we would venture to urge, that the forma pauperis is not the most available mode of addressing an English court; and, therefore, Johnson is not clearly proved wrong by the above argument brought against him.

From Project Gutenberg

This is a cause of thorough orthodox equity standing, having commenced before the time of legal memory, with every prospect of obtaining a final decree on its merits somewhere about the next Greek Kalends.

From Project Gutenberg