VAGUENESS DOCTRINE

vagueness doctrine

vagueness doctrine. Constitutional law. The doctrine — based on the Due Process Clause — requiring that a criminal statute state explicitly and definitely what acts are prohibited, so as to provide fair warning and preclude arbitrary enforcement. — Also termed void-for-vagueness doctrine. See void for vagueness under VOID. Cf. OVERBREADTH DOCTRINE. [Cases: Constitutional Law 258(2).]

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vagueness doctrine

vagueness doctrine 〈美〉模糊原则 即法律规则不应含糊不清的原则,它源于美国宪法第五条和第十四条修正案中的正当法律程序条款〔due process clause〕,含义是:如果一项法律没有清晰地规定人们应当做什么或不得做什么,即没有充分地告诫人们什么行为是违法的,那么该项法律就违反了正当法律程序,因而是违宪的。该原则要求惩罚性法律清楚告知人们什么是法律所禁止的,并为执法人员行使裁量权提供明确的指导性标准,从而防止出现武断的和带有歧视性的执法行为。

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