common law marriage
41common-law husband — (or wife) ► NOUN 1) a partner in a marriage recognized in some jurisdictions (excluding the UK) as valid by common law, though not brought about by a civil or ecclesiastical ceremony. 2) a partner in a relationship in which a man and woman… …
42Common-law relationships in Manitoba —   Same sex marriage in Canada Legal Civil Marriage Act Reference re Same Sex Marriage …
43common law — 1. the system of law originating in England, as distinct from the civil or Roman law and the canon or ecclesiastical law. 2. the unwritten law, esp. of England, based on custom or court decision, as distinct from statute law. 3. the law… …
44marriage — mar·riage / mar ij/ n 1: the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a legal, consensual, and contractual relationship recognized and sanctioned by and dissolvable only by law see also divorce 2: the ceremony… …
45law — / lȯ/ n [Old English lagu, of Scandinavian origin] 1: a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority: as a: a command or provision enacted by a legislature see also statute 1 b:… …
46common — com·mon 1 adj 1 a: of or relating to a community at large: public common defense b: known to the community a common thief 2: belonging to or shared by two or more persons or things or by all members of a group …
47common law — also common law 1) N UNCOUNT Common law is the system of law which is based on judges decisions and on custom rather than on written laws. Canadian libel law is based on English common law. 2) ADJ: ADJ n A common law relationship is regarded as a …
48common-law — /ˈkɒmən lɔ/ (say komuhn law) adjective 1. based on or relating to the common law. 2. a. relating to a marriage that is deemed in law to exist because the partners have cohabited for a certain period of time, though not having taken part in a… …
49common law — I UK / US noun [uncountable] legal the system of law that has developed from customs and judges decisions instead of from laws made by politicians. The set of laws made by politicians is called statute law. II UK / US adjective 1) according to… …
50ˌcommon ˈlaw — noun [U] I the system of law that has developed from customs and judges decisions instead of from laws made by politicians II adj ˌcommon ˈlaw involved in a relationship that has continued long enough to be considered a marriage, even though it… …
