How to Use common-law in a Sentence

common-law

1 of 2 adjective

• Where there is no common-law duty, there is no common-law liability.
  — Virginia Hammerle, Dallas Morning News, 15 Mar. 2026
• In a common-law state, by contrast, only the deceased spouse’s share generally receives the adjustment.
  — Miranda Marquit, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Aug. 2026
• But British authorities had removed customs and revenue cases from the ordinary common-law courts.
  — Joseph Thorndike, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
• The remaining states, plus the District of Columbia, are common-law property states.
  — Miranda Marquit, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Aug. 2026
• The police report includes notes from a later interview with Gail Bloodsaw, as well, who the report now described as Lewis’ common-law wife.
  — Annalise Peterson, NBC news, 23 Aug. 2026
• Insider trading liability under the securities laws was built by courts over decades of common-law development.
  — The Insider, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
• The Iowa Supreme Court revived the case in May, ruling that the 2021 law does not cover common-law torts such as assault and battery.
  — William Morris, Des Moines Register, 9 Sep. 2026
• The Texas Supreme Court reiterated that no statutory or common-law duty to disclose existed.
  — Virginia Hammerle, Dallas Morning News, 15 Mar. 2026
• But whether your state follows community property or common-law rules can affect taxes, inheritance, divorce, and estate planning long before that day arrives.
  — Miranda Marquit, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Aug. 2026
• This generally refers to property acquired while living in a common-law state that would have been community property had the couple lived in the community property state at the time.
  — Miranda Marquit, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Aug. 2026
• Delaware’s trust statute says personal property held in trust is not void under the common-law rule against perpetuities, while real property in trust generally follows a 110-year rule.
  — Michael Gold Cfp, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
• Unlike in mainland China, Hong Kong runs on a common-law system, which means a jury will decide whether the trio should be found guilty ofChoi’s murder and of preventing the lawful burial of her body.
  — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2026
• The complaint argues that Gomez, Teefey and Pierson allegedly committed securities fraud, common-law fraud and breach of contract; the suit seeks rescission of the investment contract and damages.
  — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2026
• The suits are brought under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, federal anti-sex trafficking statutes, and common-law tort claims under New York law.
  — Chase Jordan october 17, Charlotte Observer, 17 Oct. 2025
• The arrests of Peter Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor have shone a spotlight on the centuries-old common-law offence of misconduct in public office.
  — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 25 Feb. 2026
• The lawsuit, alleging common-law fraud, breach of contract and securities fraud, names Gomez, her mother, Mandy Teefey, and their former business partner, Daniella Pierson.
  — Pilar Melendez, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
• The Mexican immigrant has no criminal record in the US and is common-law married to an American citizen, according to a habeas corpus petition filed by his attorney.
  — Ashley Killough, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
• Legal experts in Britain say the law used to arrest Mountbatten-Windsor is a catchall common-law offense, centuries old, that has been used to prosecute all manner of serious abuses of official power when no modern statute fits neatly.
  — Josh Meyer, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
• About three hours later, Oklahoma plans to execute Carlos Cuesta-Rodriguez for the 2003 murder of his common-law wife, Olimpia Fisher.
  — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
• However, Laura’s common-law husband Dustin Herring picked her up from community supervision in Fort Worth and took her to a motel, according to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by CBS Texas.
  — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2026
• Earlier in the day, Oklahoma plans to execute Carlos Cuesta-Rodriguez for the 2003 murder of his common-law wife, and Tennessee is set to put Anthony Hines to death for the 1985 murder of a mother of four.
  — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
• Chernyak, who came to the US last August, was arrested in January and charged with battery with bodily harm over what his common-law wife Oksana Tarasiuk told CNN was a misunderstanding exacerbated by a language barrier with police officers.
  — Isabelle Chapman, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
• Oklahoma executed Carlos Cuesta-Rodriguez by lethal injection for the 2003 murder of his common-law wife, and Tennessee put Anthony Hines to death, also by lethal injection, for the 1985 murder of a mother of four.
  — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026
• Carlos Cuesta-Rodriguez executed in Oklahoma for wife's murder Oklahoma executed Carlos Cuesta-Rodriguez for the 2003 murder of his common-law wife, 43-year-old Olimpia Fisher, who had been excited about becoming a grandmother when she was killed.
  — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026

common law

2 of 2 noun

• These are common law claims that state courts are used to hearing.
  — Aurora Almendral, Quartz, 26 Apr. 2023
• No one has done more to help us to keep our faith in the living force and beauty of the common law.
  — Travis Andersen, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Mar. 2018
• Indeed, they are found almost nowhere else in either statutes or the common law.
  — Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 21 June 2021
• Each of the thousands of common law rules that exist today once did not exist.
  — Daniella Silva, NBC News, 28 Dec. 2017
• The case centered on two common laws that can be used to sue the lovers of unfaithful spouses.
  — Bruce Henderson, charlotteobserver, 6 Sep. 2017
• They are further accused of common law fraud and equitable fraud.
  — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 14 Aug. 2026
• The grand jury process, meanwhile, was adopted from British common law.
  — Maya Wiley, The New Republic, 4 Apr. 2023
• Donovan Davis, 25, has been charged with three counts of common law robbery.
  — Jane Wester, charlotteobserver, 18 Jan. 2018
• The Restatements are, in essence, guidebooks to the common law.
  — Ian MacDougall, ProPublica, 20 May 2019
• Every state has some form of citizen’s arrest law, either on the books or common law.
  — Roy S. Johnson | [e-mail], al, 18 May 2020
• This comes from the common law and from a type of model law called the Uniform Trust Code.
  — Dallas News, 20 Sep. 2020
• The judge in Hart’s case has yet to rule on the common law immunity argument.
  — Shelly Bradbury, The Denver Post, 12 Nov. 2024
• Khater and Tanios are named as defendants for one claim of common law assault, the filing states.
  — Clarence Williams, Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2023
• Surely there is such case law in the form of the common law of joint and several liability.
  — Michael I. Krauss, Forbes, 18 May 2022
• The trio, who founded the startup, were sued for securities fraud, common law fraud, and breach of contract.
  — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026
• But the common law is just the procedural mechanism by which these views became and remained law.
  — New York Times, 19 May 2022
• To attract business and workers, the city has a tax-free zone that uses common law for corporate dealings.
  — Frank Holmes, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2021
• Many civil law countries do not recognize trusts in the same way common law jurisdictions do.
  — Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
• In the other, common law states, a spouse usually has a right to claim one third to one half of the estate, regardless of what a will says.
  — Nerd Wallet, oregonlive, 8 Nov. 2021
• The parties are being sued for securities fraud, common law fraud, breach of contract and other claims.
  — Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
• That is the same function as actual courts in common law systems such as America’s.
  — Aron Solomon, Fortune, 13 May 2021
• Another 10 states have imposed a duty to warn under common law.
  — Virginia Hammerle, Dallas Morning News, 15 Mar. 2026
• The lawsuit makes claims including breach of contract and a denial of a common law right of peaceful interment.
  — Ronn Blitzer, Fox News, 28 July 2022
• State law and case precedent, often referred to as common law, provide trademark protection for marks used in commerce.
  — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 18 Feb. 2026
• The trio and Wondermind are being sued for securities fraud, common law fraud, and breach of contract.
  — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
• Ronnie Stevens and his common law wife Tina Ephrem face a six-count federal fraud indictment.
  — oregonlive.com, 10 July 2019
• Wang said birthright citizenship came from English common law that didn’t require parents to be domiciled.
  — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
• Its roots include English common law dating back to the 17th century.
  — ABC News, 29 July 2026
• Under the common law, Google, as a common carrier, has a duty to provide this service in a straight-up manner.
  — Charles M. Miller, National Review, 8 Oct. 2021
• But the deduction extends to any claim for the enforcement of civil rights under federal, state, local or common law.
  — Robert W. Wood, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025