Case Law (Noun)
Meaning 1
(civil law) a law established by following earlier judicial decisions.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Synonyms
Meaning 2
A system of jurisprudence based on judicial precedents rather than statutory laws; "common law originated in the unwritten laws of England and was later applied in the United States".
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The judge based her decision on relevant case law from previous trials, taking into account the legal precedents that had been set by the court of appeals.
- Law students studied the landmark cases to gain a deeper understanding of case law and how it influenced contemporary jurisprudence.
- In many jurisdictions, case law serves as an essential source of guidance for lawyers, helping them to advise their clients and to predict the outcomes of legal disputes.
- Courts have relied on case law to address new situations that are not explicitly covered by statutory laws, gradually shaping the body of law through judicial interpretation.
- A well-organized case law database allows legal professionals to search for and retrieve relevant cases that may support their arguments in court proceedings.