higher law
noun
: a principle of divine or moral law that is considered to be superior to constitutions and enacted legislation
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Measured against the sweep of Anglo-American legal history, judicial review—the power of unelected judges to invalidate, as contrary to higher law, an act of the legislature—was a radical development. 
Raymond Kethledge, WSJ, 29 Nov. 2021 This was expected; such sanctuary was understood purely as moral confrontation, proclaiming a righteous and sheltering higher law. Rafil Kroll-zaidi, The New York Review of Books, 3 Nov. 2020 No call for revenge, or for putting history on trial; only an appeal to a higher law. Olivier Rolin, The New York Review of Books, 7 Oct. 2020 Apocalypse has exposed human ruthlessness and set it loose as the highest law. Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 4 May 2020 The Bible, which, for the devout, is a higher law than the Romans or the Constitution, says, Thou shalt not kill. Nr Editors, National Review, 16 Apr. 2020 So, too, must be praise and blame. That the highest law in the land outlines this arrangement is, by itself, reason enough to demand it be followed to the letter. Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 16 Apr. 2020 Those looking to unseat the first black woman to hold the county's highest law enforcement position, have blasted her handling of the matter as haphazard and indecisive. Don Babwin, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Feb. 2020 But China’s highest law-enforcement body, the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, lashed out by accusing Li of encouraging crime. Shirley Zhao, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2019 See More
Raymond Kethledge, WSJ, 29 Nov. 2021 This was expected; such sanctuary was understood purely as moral confrontation, proclaiming a righteous and sheltering higher law. Rafil Kroll-zaidi, The New York Review of Books, 3 Nov. 2020 No call for revenge, or for putting history on trial; only an appeal to a higher law. Olivier Rolin, The New York Review of Books, 7 Oct. 2020 Apocalypse has exposed human ruthlessness and set it loose as the highest law. Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 4 May 2020 The Bible, which, for the devout, is a higher law than the Romans or the Constitution, says, Thou shalt not kill. Nr Editors, National Review, 16 Apr. 2020 So, too, must be praise and blame. That the highest law in the land outlines this arrangement is, by itself, reason enough to demand it be followed to the letter. Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 16 Apr. 2020 Those looking to unseat the first black woman to hold the county's highest law enforcement position, have blasted her handling of the matter as haphazard and indecisive. Don Babwin, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Feb. 2020 But China’s highest law-enforcement body, the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, lashed out by accusing Li of encouraging crime. Shirley Zhao, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2019 See More Word History
First Known Use
1593, in the meaning defined above