case law

noun

: law established by judicial decision in cases

Examples of case law in a Sentence

Case law says that a person has a right to privacy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And, as some legal scholars point out, case law relating to RFRA and the First Amendment has strengthened in recent years, to the benefit of religious groups. Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jan. 2025 And Litigation The ability of AI to predict the future – by analyzing vast datasets of prior case law and judicial decisions to forecast the outcome of trials and litigation – will be a valuable tool for legal professionals in 2025. Bernard Marr, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025 Existing antitrust rules were theoretically powerful, their theory went, yet decades of lax enforcement and unfavorable case law left courts and enforcers with flimsy tools for keeping the industry in check. Lauren Feiner, The Verge, 17 Dec. 2024 Without getting into an essay on patents and copyrights and case law, there are other Monopoly or Monopoly-like editions out there, focused on cities, states and other themes. Molly Guthrey, Twin Cities, 2 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for case law 

Word History

First Known Use

1731, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of case law was in 1731

Dictionary Entries Near case law

Cite this Entry

“Case law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/case%20law. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.

Legal Definition

case law

noun
: law established by judicial decisions in cases as distinguished from law created by legislation

called also decisional law

see also common law

More from Merriam-Webster on case law

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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