What is "common-law"

Usage examples of "common-law".

It is therefore, as a preliminary to understanding the common-law theory of possession, to study the common law with regard to bailees.

The point which is essential to understanding the common-law theory of possession is now established: that all bailees from time immemorial have been regarded by the English law as possessors, and entitled to the possessory remedies.

Instead of his common-law wife's bland macaroni and chicken and potatoes, he had the Department of Corrections's bland macaroni and hamburger and potatoes.

It ranks right up there with the Washington Monument in Maggodian folklore, from fairly recent events all the way back to the beginning of the century, when Robin's great-grandpappy shot a revenuer and disappeared onto the ridge with his common-law wife and twelve feral children.

I always called that place Trout Key, cause of all the sea trout on the grass banks off the shore, but the crackers called it Mormon Key, on account of that no-account old Richard Hamilton had other children by a common-law wife who was still living up around Arcadia.