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Simple English definitions for legal terms
Rule in Heydon's case
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A quick definition of Rule in Heydon's case:
The Rule in Heydon's Case is a way of interpreting laws. It means that before deciding what a law means, you should think about the problem the law was made to solve. Then, you should interpret the law in a way that helps solve that problem. This is also called the "mischief rule" or "purpose approach." It is different from other ways of interpreting laws, like the "plain-meaning rule" or the "golden rule."
A more thorough explanation:
The Rule in Heydon's Case is a doctrine used in statutory construction. It states that a statute should be interpreted by first identifying the problem or "mischief" that the statute was designed to remedy. Then, a construction should be adopted that will suppress the problem and advance the remedy.
For example, if a statute was created to prevent people from driving under the influence of alcohol, the Rule in Heydon's Case would require a court to interpret the statute in a way that would best achieve that goal. This might mean interpreting the statute broadly to include not only driving while drunk but also driving while under the influence of drugs.
The Rule in Heydon's Case is also known as the Mischief Rule or the Purpose Approach. It is one of several rules used in statutory construction, including the Golden Rule, the Plain-Meaning Rule, and the Equity-of-the-Statute Rule.