civil law

noun

often capitalized C&L

1

: Roman law especially as set forth in the Justinian code

2

: the body of private law developed from Roman law and used in Louisiana and in many countries outside the English-speaking world

3

: the law established by a nation or state for its own jurisdiction

4

: the law of civil or private rights

Examples of civil law in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For instance, the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act forbade the U.S. Army from enforcing civil laws without authorization from Congress or the president. —Joseph F. Dunford, Foreign Affairs, 5 Jan. 2023

The parties involved often come from different legal traditions (e.g., common law, civil law, or hybrid systems). —Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 19 June 2024

But it was also aimed at eroding the autonomy of Muslims in matters of civil law. —Kanchan Chandra, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 2019

But in practice, they are treated according to the civil law of the State of Israel, which formally applies only to territory within the state’s borders. —Mark Mazzetti Jonathan Davis Anna Diamond David Mason, New York Times, 16 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

civil law

noun

often capitalized C&L

1

: Roman law especially as set forth in the Code of Justinian

2

: the body of law developed from Roman law and used in Louisiana, in continental Europe, and in many other countries outside of the English-speaking world including especially those that were colonized by countries of continental Europe compare common law

Note: Although Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. whose law is based entirely on civil law, remnants of civil law remain in other states (as Texas and California) in which countries of continental Europe had a strong influence.

3

: the law established by a nation or state for its own jurisdiction

4

: the law that applies to private rights especially as opposed to the law that applies to criminal matters compare criminal law