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NeCede's

Maxim 1.7.36

The voice of legislators is a living voice, to impose laws on things, not on words.

Legislatorum est viva vox, rebus et non verbis, legem imponere.

Source: 10 Co. 101 Difficulty 1/5 — Foundational

Explanation

Legislation addresses realities, not verbal abstractions — the law binds conduct, not language, and its force attaches to substance, not to form.

Where this applies

  • A law regulates actual conduct, not mere words or labels.
  • A statute targets real-world behavior, not abstract categories.

Legal domains

constitutionalsovereignty

See also

Cite this maxim

NeCede Max. 1.7.36 — The voice of legislators is a living voice, to impose laws on things, not on words. — 10 Co. 101 (Legislatorum est viva vox, rebus et non verbis, legem imponere.)

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