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Simple English definitions for legal terms
Vague
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A quick definition of Vague:
Term: Vague
Definition: When words are not clear and are hard to understand, they are called vague. This can be a problem when it comes to laws because if a law is too vague, people might not know what they are supposed to do or not do. If a law is too vague, it might not be fair to punish someone for breaking it.
Illustrative caselaw: Skilling v. United States, 130 S.Ct. 2896 (2010).
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: Not clearly expressed or defined; uncertain or imprecise.
When someone uses vague language, it can be hard to understand what they mean. For example, if someone says "I'll meet you later," but doesn't say where or when, that's a vague statement. It's not clear what they mean or what they want to do.
In the legal world, a law can be considered vague if it's not clear what behavior is allowed or prohibited. This can be a problem because people need to know what the law says in order to follow it. If a law is too vague, it can lead to confusion and unfair treatment.
For example, imagine a law that says "It's illegal to be annoying." That's a vague law because it's not clear what behavior is considered annoying. One person might find something annoying, while another person might not. This could lead to arbitrary enforcement of the law, which is not fair.