Legal Definitions - Prescriptive

Prescriptive describes something that dictates, recommends, or establishes how things should be done, or how people or systems ought to function. It sets forth rules, standards, or guidelines for ideal conduct or future actions, rather than simply describing what currently exists.

Here are some examples to illustrate the concept of prescriptive statements or rules:

• Example 1: Environmental Regulations

  A new government regulation states that all new residential buildings must install solar panels covering at least 25% of their energy needs. This regulation is prescriptive because it doesn't just describe current building practices; it mandates a specific action and sets a standard that future constructions ought to meet to comply with energy efficiency goals.

• Example 2: Corporate Code of Conduct

  A company's employee handbook includes a section stating that all employees should report any potential conflicts of interest to their manager immediately. This is a prescriptive statement because it outlines the expected ethical behavior and the steps employees ought to take in a particular situation, rather than merely observing how conflicts of interest are currently handled.

• Example 3: Software Development Guidelines

  A software development team adopts a new set of guidelines dictating that all code comments must follow a specific formatting style and explain the function of each major block of code. These guidelines are prescriptive because they establish how developers ought to write their code and comments to ensure consistency and readability, rather than simply documenting the various ways developers currently comment their code.