He acts in fraud of the law who, though the letter of the law being inviolate, uses the law contrary to its intention.

Explanation

(English-origin maxim.) One who technically complies with the letter of a law while deliberately subverting its purpose commits fraud upon the law and will be treated as a violator.

Where this applies

• A corporation structures a transaction to technically comply with tax law while completely defeating its purpose — the court treats this as fraud on the law.
• A landlord exploits a loophole in rent-control regulations to effectively raise rent far beyond what the law intended to allow.
• A developer follows the letter of a zoning ordinance but arranges the project to circumvent its obvious purpose of preserving green space.