lex non scripta

American  

[leks non skrip-tuh, nohn] / ˈlɛks nɒn ˈskrɪp tə, noʊn /

noun

Law.

1. unwritten law; common law.

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lex non scripta British  

/ nɒn ˈskrɪptə /

noun

1. the unwritten law; common law

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Etymology

Origin of lex non scripta

From Latin lēx nōn scrīpta

Example Sentences

We were not of the number who availed themselves of this lex non scripta, forasmuch as more than one visit in time past hath somewhat worn off the novelty of the thing.

From A Collection of College Words and Customs by Hall, Benjamin Homer

Whenever it was possible, they applied their own lex non scripta in preference to acting upon the Spanish Code.

From The Philippine Islands by Foreman, John

The common law is the law of England, the unwritten law of England, the lex non scripta.

From A Report of the Debates and Proceedings in the Secret Sessions of the Conference Convention For Proposing Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, Held at Washington, D.C., in February, A.D. 1861 by Chittenden, L. E. (Lucius Eugene)

But no such statute existing, he must have referred to the common law in the sense of a lex non scripta.

From Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 4 by Randolph, Thomas Jefferson

Little difficulty, however, is there experienced from the want of written laws, the lex non scripta of every parish or county being perfectly understood where it is in force.

From The Canadian Curler's Manual by