Legal Definitions - make law

Make law means to:

1. Legislate, which is the process of creating new laws or changing existing ones.
2. Issue a legal precedent, which is a judicial decision that establishes a new rule of law on a particular subject. For example, a court ruling that establishes a new right or obligation for individuals or organizations.
3. In the past, make law also meant to deny a plaintiff's charge under oath, in open court, with compurgators. Compurgators were people who swore to the truth of a defendant's statement.

Here are some examples that illustrate the different meanings of make law:

• The government is planning to make a new law that will increase the penalties for drunk driving.
• The Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Educationmade law by establishing that segregation in public schools is unconstitutional.
• In medieval England, a defendant could make law by denying a plaintiff's charge under oath and having compurgators swear to the truth of their statement.

The first example shows how make law can mean creating new laws through the legislative process. The second example shows how make law can mean establishing new legal precedents through court decisions. The third example shows how make law had a different meaning in the past, where defendants could use compurgators to deny a plaintiff's charge and avoid punishment.