Warning

Info

Warning

Info

Warning

Info

LSDefine

Simple English definitions for legal terms

lenity rule

Read a random definition: conforming loan

A quick definition of lenity rule:

The lenity rule is a legal principle that says when a law is unclear and has different punishments, the court should choose the punishment that is less severe. This is to make sure that people are not punished too harshly for something they didn't fully understand was illegal.

A more thorough explanation:

The lenity rule, also known as the rule of lenity, is a judicial doctrine that applies when a criminal statute is ambiguous and sets out multiple or inconsistent punishments. In such cases, the court should resolve the ambiguity in favor of the more lenient punishment.

For example, let's say a state law sets out a punishment of either a fine or imprisonment for a particular crime, but the law is unclear about which punishment should be imposed. If the court applies the lenity rule, it would choose the more lenient punishment, which in this case would be a fine.

The lenity rule is based on the principle that criminal statutes should be clear and unambiguous, and that individuals should not be subject to harsher punishments than the law clearly specifies. By applying the lenity rule, courts can ensure that criminal defendants are not unfairly punished due to unclear or ambiguous laws.

lenity | lenocinium

Warning

Info

General

General chat about the legal profession.
main_chatroom
👍 Chat vibe: 0 👎
Help us make LSD better!
Tell us what's important to you
THATS SO FUNNY
i cant i would go crazy
JumpySubsequentDolphin
20:50
i need to know who decided to do that.
JumpySubsequentDolphin
20:50
omg im on a plane weeeee
the devil
youre on a plane??? LSD made the mile high club??
20:50
yo splitterus are you in school already
20:50
it says ur c/o 2027
JumpySubsequentDolphin
20:51
@SplitterusClitterus: HAHAH yes
ur user is hilarioussss and no i just graduated this may and am now applying ---also im out of messages so ill take a lil
20:52
roger dat. see u in heck
im back, r u applying this cycle too
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:32
this child fell asleep on me
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:32
im so uncomfortable
just push him off the entire seat
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:34
LMAOOOO
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:35
no he’s literally like 8 and he fully just put his head on my bicep and slept
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:35
he has since moved
22:12
@SplitterusClitterus: me yesterday
gulc baby pls text me back... i miss you ...... :(
22:23
i just went into a discord vc and yelled "YALL I JUST GOT INTO J.M. SCHOOL OF LAW"
22:24
people were getting excited :sob:
22:25
then someone was like "what does jm stand for" and i was like .. well
AHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH
@JumpySubsequentDolphin: wait this is so cute, also where r u going
JOE MBIDEN
JumpySubsequentDolphin
22:39
@splitty Oregon!
oh yay for what thats so random
JumpySubsequentDolphin
22:45
haha my brother and sister in law live there
so cutie oregon is beatiful
LSD+ is ad-free, with DMs, discounts, case briefs & more.