Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

Dead letter

Defined in 2 dictionaries — Ballentine's (1916), Bouvier (1914)

Ballentine's Law Dictionary

James A. Ballentine · 1916

An unenforced law; an undelivered letter sent to the dead letter office.

Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia

John Bouvier; revised by Francis Rawle · 1914

Acts that have become obsolete by long disuse are often so called. See Obsolete.