Law A-Level
Mischief Rule
What Mischief Rule means in Law A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definitions of Mischief Rule
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
An interpretative rule where the court looks at the gap or 'mischief' in the common law that the statute was intended to remedy.
Interpreting a statute to suppress the defect (mischief) in the old law and advance the remedy Parliament intended.
Topics that use Mischief Rule
- The nature of law and the English legal system (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- Administrative Necessity
- Affirmative Resolution
- Consolidation
- Corrective Justice
- Democratic Accountability
- Equality Before the Law
- Golden Rule
- Green Paper
Using Mischief Rule in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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