Legal Definitions - corollary

A corollary in law refers to a proposition or principle that naturally and logically follows from an already established legal rule, statute, or court decision. It is a direct consequence or an obvious extension of a proven legal point, requiring little to no additional argument or proof to be accepted as true.

A corollary refers to a direct and obvious consequence or a natural outcome that logically follows from an established fact, rule, or principle. It is something that can be understood or concluded with little to no additional explanation or proof, given that the initial proposition is true.

• Example 1 (Legal Policy):

  If a university implements a new academic integrity policy stating that any student caught plagiarizing will automatically fail the course, then a corollary of this policy is that students found guilty of plagiarism will also likely face a negative impact on their overall GPA and academic standing. This consequence naturally and directly follows from the initial rule about failing the course.

• Example 2 (Court Ruling):

  When a court issues a landmark ruling that significantly limits the power of police to conduct warrantless searches of digital devices, a corollary of this decision is that prosecutors will now have to rely more heavily on obtaining search warrants or other legally permissible methods to access such evidence. This is a direct and logical outcome of the court's established limitation on police authority.

• Example 3 (Legislative Action):

  Suppose a city council passes a new ordinance requiring all new commercial developments to dedicate a certain percentage of their land to public green space. A corollary of this legislation is that developers will need to incorporate parks, gardens, or open recreational areas into their building plans from the outset. This is an unavoidable and obvious requirement stemming from the new land-use rule.