Is the letter of the law above the spirit of the law?

The letter of the law is what the law states; the spirit of the law is a social and moral consensus of the interpretation of the letter.

What is meant when the courts use the letter of the law?

phrase [preposition PHRASE, PHRASE after verb] If you say that someone keeps to the letter of the law , you mean that they act according to what is actually written in the law, rather than according to the general principles of it, especially when you disapprove of this.

What is within the spirit of the law is within the law?

Definition of the spirit of the law : the aim or purpose of a law when it was written They seem to be more concerned with obeying the letter of the law than with understanding the spirit of the law.

What does it mean in letter and spirit?

The “in spirit & letter” idiom means that people should completely follow the rules in place. “in letter” means follow the rules literally. “in spirit” means follow the intentions of the rules, even if they are not explicitly stated.

What is an example of letter of the law?

For example, someone might say, “The letter of the law says that he has to pay back the damages, but that judge is likely going to follow the spirit of the law and let it slide.” Contrasting attitudes toward the laws are at the heart of the differences between those two phrases.

Who wrote the spirit of the law?

Montesquieu
The Spirit of the Laws/Authors

French political philosopher Montesquieu was best known for The Spirit of Laws (1748), one of the great works in the history of political theory and of jurisprudence.

Is the letter of the law an idiom?

The letter of the law versus the spirit of the law is an idiomatic antithesis. When one obeys the letter of the law but not the spirit, one is obeying the literal interpretation of the words (the “letter”) of the law, but not necessarily the intent of those who wrote the law.

What is the true spirit?

1 not false, fictional, or illusory; factual or factually accurate; conforming with reality. 2 prenominal being of real or natural origin; genuine; not synthetic.

How do you use spirit and letter in a sentence?

It’s well past time that people follow both the letter and spirit of the law. “The judge’s decision to deny a recount is wrong on the letter and spirit of the law,” Mr. Shafran said. We are committed to the Security Council goals, letter and spirit according to what the resolution determines.

What it means to follow the law?

Following the “letter of the law” means following the rules — especially laws — perfectly, without leaving any room for leverage. This can refer to a person who has to abide by the laws or those who administer them.

What documents did Spirit of laws Affect?

Macaulay referenced Montesquieu’s continuing importance when he wrote in his 1827 essay entitled “Machiavelli” that “Montesquieu enjoys, perhaps, a wider celebrity than any political writer of modern Europe.”…The Spirit of the Laws.

What is the difference between the letter and spirit of law?

In this case, the left-most vertical line represents the letter of the law, whereas the spirit of the law is located at some distance away from the letter of the law toward the right side of Figure 1.

What does “the letter of the law” mean?

Here’s what it says on Wikipedia, about “the letter of the law”.. The letter of the law versus the spirit of the law, is an idiomatic antithesis.

Where is the spirit of the law on a map?

Spirit of Law. In this case, the left-most vertical line represents the letter of the law, whereas the spirit of the law is located at some distance away from the letter of the law toward the right side of Figure 1.

What is the opposite of the letter of the law?

The letter of the law, and the spirit of the law, are not opposites at all. They are two aspects of the law, that go hand-in-hand. How on earth could the “spirit” and “intent” of the law, be the opposite of exactly what the law says?