law merchant

English

Etymology

Calque of Latin lex mercatoria

Noun

law merchant (countable and uncountable, plural laws merchant)

1. (historical) A body of commercial law.
   • 1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, II.ii:

     Yes Madam, I would have Law Merchant for that too—and in all cases of slander currency, whenever the Drawer of the Lie was not to be found, the injured Party should have a right to come on any of the indorsers.

   • 1890, Session Laws of the State of Washington, page 11:

     […] protesting bills of exchange and promissory notes, and such other duties as pertain to that office by the custom and laws merchant; ( 2 ) to take acknowledgments of all deeds and other instruments […]