liberal construction
Liberal construction is a legal concept that involves the broad interpretation of a statute or written document. Liberal construction follows the intent and reasonable purpose of a written document instead of the strict, literal meaning of the text (known as strict construction). Judges using liberal construction consider the context of when the text was enacted and the objections of the policymakers or authors, when interpreting the terms of the work. A famous example of liberal construction is Griswold v Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479 (1965), in which the Supreme Court established the right to privacy. Although no such right is explicitly written in the Constitution, the Court held that it was implied by the “penumbra” of several Constitutional Amendments when they are considered together.
[Last reviewed in April of 2026 by the Wex Definitions Team]
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