The phrase “legal fiction” may seem confusing but is actually an important concept in law. Legal fiction is the process of a court attributing a false statement to be true for the purpose of law. It is typically used when inevitable but inconvenient barriers prevent the courts from having the ability to accurately discern the facts of a given case. It may also be used to precisely define legal implications for a certain situation.
Legal fiction is an age-old concept that dates back to Roman law and has been used throughout legal history to facilitate rulings that would have other implications than if the court simply accepted the facts as believed. A common example of legal fiction in modern society is a company being treated as a ‘person’ under the law, which attributes rights and responsibilities to the company as though it is a natural person.
While legal fiction carries power in its implications, it is something that must be used sparingly and cautiously as many lawyers and legal scholars point out. While it is a useful tool for helping to define legal parameters, it can be abused and lead to certain injustices if applied indiscriminately. Many times, other legal remedies available through the court are better-suited for addressing the complexity of a given case and should be preferred to relying solely on legal fiction.
Conclusion: Understanding Legal Fiction
The concept of legal fiction is a complex one, however, understanding it is critical in determining the outcomes of a given case. Many legal scholars caution against relying too heavily on legal fiction as a means to decide the facts of a case; while it can provide useful guidance in limited circumstances, it is often incomplete and open to manipulation. Ultimately, legal professionals should have a strong understanding of the implications of legal fiction in order to gauge its appropriateness for any given legal action.