above the law

above the law

Not required to adhere to current laws, rules, or standards. Many computer hackers act as though they are above the law when they steal valuable data from companies and attempt to sell it online. The city's elected officials thought they were above the law when they stole money from taxpayers to sustain their expensive and luxurious lifestyles.
See also: above, law
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

above the law

not subject to the law; immune to the law. None of us is above the law. We have to obey all of them.
See also: above, law
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

above the law

see under above suspicion.
See also: above, law
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
See also:
  • Mr Clean
  • Mr. Clean
  • a case in point
  • case in point
  • play by (one's) rules
  • play by somebody's rules
  • a steal
  • be a steal
  • hacker
  • toe the line/mark, to
References in periodicals archive
'For now, the only person that was above the law was the one who tried to bribe the President of the HJPC BiH and, who now, as in one of the best of Fellini films, is seeking justice before the Prosecutor's Office of BiH - Justice for successful bribery.
He remarked that no one is above the law; if a Lahore High Court judge is ticketed through e-ticket system why not others.
No one is above the law. Everyone or every entity is accountable for every transgression of the law.
What Oshiomhole is doing is to institute a regime of change where nobody is above the law.'
EDITORIAL - Above the law !-- -- (The Philippine Star) - October 2, 2018 - 12:00am Lawmakers must be reminded that they are on the payroll of taxpayers so their employer ndash or their boss, as a former president put it ndash is the Filipino public.
Cops have issued a warning that "no one" is above the law after a serving police officer caught with horrific child abuse images was put on the Sex Offenders' Register.
BAGHDAD / National Iraqi News Agency / NINA / -The Head of the National Alliance Ammar al-Hakim, stressed the importance of forming a government capable of implementing the law and abide by it, not a government that sees itself above the law. " Al-Hakim stressed, during a meeting with leaders of the political blocs yesterday to discuss developments in the political and electoral scene and the form of future alliances and the next government, on the importance of adherence to constitutional and legal times and the removal of the next government from political rivalries".
'No-one is above the law, including New York's top legal officer,' he said.
He further questioned if the Sharifs were above the law.
Summary: New Delhi [India]Feb 28(ANI): Hours after former Union finance minister P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with a money laundering case, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that no one was above the law.
This union of the corrupt under the leadership of Godfather SS believes they are above the law. If they are innocent why should they fear accountability?'
Sharif brothers believe that if a leader gets elected through vote, he is above the law and beyond the accountability, he added.
A"SEX.OBESSED" former police officer who filmed a couple having sex from his force helicopter has been jailed for a year by a judge who told him: "You, quite literally, considered yourself above the law."
No-one is above the law SO now Kirklees Council are making their own laws.
There will remain a deep sense of injustice to the tens of relatives and the hundreds of friends of my mother if indeed the crime of causing such an untimely death is a monetary one which will give the impression that tourists are above the law and that they can kill, pay, and set free.