law of the land

law of the land

1. (law) A particular law or the complete set of laws currently in effect within a jurisdiction, especially with emphasis on the official and authoritative nature of such law.
   • 1724, Jonathan Swift, The Drapier's Letters, Appendix 4:

     Besides it must be remembered that precedents in some cases will not excuse a judge, even where they are according to the undoubted law of the land.

   • 1836, Charles Dickens, Sketches by Boz, ch. 7:

     Hackney-coaches are part and parcel of the law of the land; they were settled by the Legislature; plated and numbered by the wisdom of Parliament.

   • 1873, Mark Twain, and Charles Dudley Warner, The Gilded Age, ch. 29:

     He confessed that neither he nor any citizen had a right to consult his own feelings or conscience in a case where a law of the land had been violated before his own eyes.

   • 1915, E. Phillips Oppenheim, An Amiable Charlatan, ch. 14:

     I am on the side of the established authorities. I am in the cast-iron position of the man who falls into line with the law of the land.

   • 2004, David Nobbs, Sex and Other Changes, p. 95:

     "I'm dressed as a woman, but I am still technically a man. I believe that to comply with the law of the land I ought to continue to use the Gents', but in order not to look out place I intend to use the Ladies' from now on. I trust none of you will grass on me..."

   • 2013 Sept. 24, Manny Fernandez, "In Corner of Arkansas, Frustration but No Panic Over Possible Shutdown," New York Times (retrieved 17 Nov 2013):

     "A lot of other people don’t like it. But what’s law is law and you abide by the law of the land."

   • 2017 July 16, Brandon Nowalk, “Chickens and dragons come home to roost on Game Of Thrones (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club‎:

     So why not rob these red cloaks? Serves em right for letting their guard down. Isn’t that the unwritten law of the land? If someone gets one up on you, you deserve it for letting them?

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