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The rule of lenity, also called the rule of strict construction, is a principle in criminal law that requires a court to interpret an ambiguous or unclear criminal statute in the way that is most favorable to the defendant.
The rule of lenity is a principle used in criminal law, also called rule of strict construction, stating that when a law is unclear or ambiguous, the court should apply it in the way that is most favorable to the defendant, or to construe the statute against the state.
Sep 2, 2016 · Whoever replaces Scalia, whether liberal or conservative, should better entrench lenity – not just as a rhetorical makeweight or backstop to textualism, but as the real interpretive principle it deserves to be.
According to the authors, a forgotten, albeit fundamental, principle such as the rule of lenity has the potential to become a disruptor for the entire US criminal law system. The article is divided into three parts. In Part I, the authors discuss the practice of applying the rule of lenity in US law.
The rule of lenity is a legal principle stating that ambiguities in criminal statutes should be resolved in favor of the defendant. This principle ensures that individuals are not punished under laws that are unclear or vague, maintaining fairness in the legal system.
The rule of lenity is a legal principle that directs courts to interpret ambiguous criminal statutes in favor of defendants. This means that if a law is unclear or vague about what constitutes a crime, the ambiguity should benefit the individual being prosecuted, thus ensuring fair notice and preventing arbitrary enforcement of the law.
INTRODUCTION. The rule of lenity is easy to define but difficult to apply. Simply stated, it is a rule of statutory construction that requires a court to resolve statutory ambiguity in favor of a criminal defendant, or to strictly construe the statute against the state.
