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LSDefine

Simple English definitions for legal terms

rational interpretation

Read a random definition: Reynolds v. Sims (1964)

A quick definition of rational interpretation:

Interpretation is the process of figuring out what something means, like a law or a document. There are different ways to interpret something, like looking at the words themselves or comparing it to other similar things. Sometimes, people ask the person who wrote it what they meant, which is called authentic interpretation. Interpreting something can also mean understanding what it means to you personally. It can also mean translating something from one language to another.

A more thorough explanation:

Definition: Rational interpretation is a type of interpretation that departs from the literal words of a law or legal document on the basis that there may be other, more satisfactory evidence of the author's true intention. It is also known as logical interpretation.

Examples: If a law states that "no vehicles are allowed in the park," a strict or literal interpretation would mean that no form of transportation, including bicycles or wheelchairs, would be allowed. However, a rational interpretation would take into account the author's true intention and allow for exceptions for necessary forms of transportation.

Another example would be if a contract states that "the seller will deliver the goods within 30 days," a strict interpretation would mean that the seller must deliver the goods exactly on the 30th day. However, a rational interpretation would allow for a reasonable amount of time for delivery, taking into account factors such as shipping time and unforeseen circumstances.

Explanation: Rational interpretation is used when the literal words of a law or legal document do not fully capture the author's true intention. It allows for a more flexible and practical approach to interpretation, taking into account the context and purpose of the law or document. This type of interpretation is often used in cases where a strict or literal interpretation would lead to an absurd or unjust result.

rational doubt | rational-purpose test

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21:15
Feel like I can finally stop holding my breath!! Whew!!!
[] baddestbunny
22:16
every time I get accosted by a strange man who follows me around because my male coworkers were too busy talking to walk me back to my car I get closer to saying we need to bring back traditional gender roles
Dkk
22:32
Nice! @Macaque
Dkk
22:32
@Aromatic, Have to guess.
Dkk
22:33
That sucks @Bunny do you have to go to the hospital?
[] baddestbunny
22:40
I said accosted not assaulted
23:35
guys. my notre dame address just went long is this good or bad
1a2b3c4d26z
23:37
Oooooo me too
23:37
omg is this good or bad
Dkk
23:47
Idk if gender roles are gunna fix that then.
23:49
it looks like most people who applied in october last cycle didn't get a decision until january... does it even mean anything that our addresses went long??
hows ED 2 compared to ED 1?
Dkk
0:10
No idea
windyMagician
0:34
reporting live to say my ndls address also went long
does it mean anything ^
Dkk
2:21
NDLS and Fordham took a very long time last year. It's good info for people to know.
[] baddestbunny
4:29
let’s get after it boys and girls
Dkk
5:21
I gtg to bed soon.
Dkk
5:22
Big day today. Gunna be a crazy one. I will sleep through the first half.
good morning lsd it is 5 am EST
also jazzy my ndls address went long ages ago i sadly do not think it means anything
my stanford address also went long LOL i think at most it's an indicator it's under review
WorthlessAttractiveZombie
7:44
My berkeley paragraph finally disappeared. I definitely think it is just an indicator that they are actively reviewing files, and does not mean anything about A, WL, or Rs
WorthlessAttractiveZombie
7:46
Also has anyone's date disappeared for W&L? Mine did last night
7:55
@WorthlessAttractiveZombie: mine did yesterday morning
7:56
Oops sorry I meant Vilanova. Mine disappeared last week
soapy
8:48
UMN under review! As predicted, decisions are gonna come out early December
Minus those random R decisions from UMN yesterday though right? I wonder what happened there. I don’t think I’ve seen a school start the season out with anything but As on here
almost all of my apps have been UR for 6 weeks at this point I feel exhausted waiting for them to finish
Irvine is being snobby and wont start any review until end of Nov.
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