special case
special case — noun
1. a legal case that is handled using different rules or procedures from the ordina
a legal case that is handled using different rules or procedures from the ordinary system because of unusual facts or circumstances
The judge treated the environmental lawsuit as a special case because it involved several states.
collocation: treat/classify as a special case
Ms. Chen said her client's immigration case was a special case under the new rules.
The appellate judge classified the inheritance dispute as a special case that required faster hearings.
A special case may follow shorter deadlines than a regular civil lawsuit in this district.
- exceptional case
broader; can be used outside of legal contexts
- unusual proceeding
emphasises the non-standard nature of the process
文法句型
treat/handle/classify something as a special case
be a special case
用法筆記
Frequently appears in the phrase 'treat/classify as a special case'. The subject is typically a judge or a court. Distinguish from sense 2, which focuses on rights created by statute rather than on procedural differences.
2. a legal action that is created by a specific written law to give people new righ
a legal action that is created by a specific written law to give people new rights or ways to get compensation that did not exist before
The legislature created this special case to help tenants whose landlords had abandoned the building.
grammar pattern: create a special case + infinitive of purpose
Femi filed a special case under consumer law to recover his losses from a scam.
This special case lets fraud victims seek damages without proving their exact loss.
A special case for data-privacy violations was established by the new digital rights statute.
- statutory action
more general; any lawsuit based on a statute
- statutory remedy
emphasises the compensation or relief available
文法句型
file/bring a special case
create a special case by/under [law]
用法筆記
Always introduced by a statute — a law passed by a legislature. The focus is on new legal rights or remedies, not on procedural differences (sense 1) or a reserved legal question (sense 3).
3. a set of facts agreed by both sides in a dispute that is sent to a higher court
a set of facts agreed by both sides in a dispute that is sent to a higher court for a ruling on a specific legal question, without a full trial on all issues
The defense attorney asked the court to handle the jurisdiction question as a special case.
collocation: handle as a special case
The jury found the facts, and the court kept the rest as a special case.
The higher court received a special case to decide if the evidence could be used.
Both lawyers agreed on the facts and submitted a special case for a tax ruling.
- case stated
equivalent term used mainly in British legal systems
- reserved case
less common; emphasises that the court holds the case for later decision
文法句型
submit a special case
handle as a special case
a special case on [a legal question]
用法筆記
Key feature: the facts are not in dispute — only the legal meaning or application of the law is questioned. Often used when a trial court wants guidance from an appellate court on a novel point of law. Distinguish from sense 1 (different procedures) and sense 2 (new rights from statute).