Legal Definitions - compel

Compel refers to two main situations in a legal context:

• 1. To Force an Action: To legally or forcefully require an individual or entity to perform a specific action, often against their preference or will, usually under the threat of legal consequences.
  • Example A: "Despite his busy schedule, the CEO was compelled by a court order to appear and provide testimony in the corporate fraud investigation."

    Explanation: This illustrates how a legal authority, in this case, a court order, forces an individual to perform an action (testify) they might otherwise avoid, under the threat of legal repercussions for non-compliance.

  • Example B: "After discovering a critical safety flaw, the car manufacturer was compelled by federal regulators to issue a nationwide recall of the affected vehicles."

    Explanation: Here, a regulatory authority forces a company to take a specific action (recall products) to comply with safety standards and prevent harm, demonstrating an obligation enforced by law.

• 2. To Dictate an Outcome: For a law, regulation, or established legal principle to leave no alternative but a particular decision or conclusion in a legal matter.
  • Example: "Given the unambiguous language of the new environmental protection act, the judge felt the statutecompelled her to rule in favor of the conservation group, despite arguments from the development company."

    Explanation: This demonstrates how the clear and specific wording of a law dictates a particular legal decision, leaving the judge with no discretion to rule otherwise based on the facts presented.