case

N. This is one of those terms that has several meanings. Technically, a case is a dispute between two or more parties. Case also refers to the opinion of a court and its ruling on a particular set of facts and legal issues. Thus, your casebook for a class is a collection of opinions. Case, judgment, ruling, opinion, and decision are often used interchangeably.

http://www.law.harvard.edu/library/research/guides/one_l_dictionary.html

The O.J. Simpson case fascinated the entire country that summer.

She won her case before the lower court, but lost on appeal.

The case will probably go before the Supreme Court next year.

Brown V. Board of Education always had a dual nature: It was both a case about racial discrimination in pupil placement and a case about social rights within a welfare state - in particular, the right to equal educational opportunity.

In a democracy, judges are supposed to decide cases strictly on their merits.

see also lawsuit

case law (sometimes caselaw or case-law)

N. uncountable - Law that has been established by following legal decisions made by judges in earlier cases. (see landmark)

Case law has been instrumental in the creation of European Union law.