common law
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.
His blunder is captured in the false proposition that birthright citizenship “crossed the Atlantic with the colonists—and was adopted with little fanfare after the Revolution” as an outgrowth of the common law of England.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
He also said he understood he had "common law employment rights", adding "this will be better understood by lawyers than by me".
From BBC ● Mar. 11, 2026
Chief Justice John Roberts stressed in the Jarkesy majority opinion that government penalties “designed to punish or deter the wrongdoer” are a “prototypical common law remedy.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026
When it came to creating this new government, rebelling against and pushing back against restrictions we had experienced under English common law, press freedom was seen to be essential.
From Slate ● Feb. 24, 2026
The English had the common law, which relied on the jury system.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
