MLchartDataset catalogue

Legal formalism

Term · Law · MLC-T-LAW-002970

A theory of legal interpretation that emphasizes strict adherence to established legal rules, principles, and precedents, rather than considering external factors like social policy or morality. Formalists believe that judges should apply the law as written, without injecting their personal values. This approach aims for predictability and consistency in judicial decisions.

Table 1. Record
IdentifierMLC-T-LAW-002970
FieldLaw
Record as JSON 
{
  "id": "MLC-T-LAW-002970",
  "term": "Legal formalism",
  "field": "Law",
  "definition": "A theory of legal interpretation that emphasizes strict adherence to established legal rules, principles, and precedents, rather than considering external factors like social policy or morality. Formalists believe that judges should apply the law as written, without injecting their personal values. This approach aims for predictability and consistency in judicial decisions.",
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/law/legal-formalism/"
}

Record 2,919 of 5,445 in Law terminology (MLC-0107). Request the full dataset.