1.3: Letter of the Law versus Spirit of the Law
- Page ID
- 69896
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Simply stated, one can distinguish between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law in remarkably simple terms. Both concepts are related to enforcement. The letter of the law is typified by a zero-tolerance mindset. For example, a government agent adheres to the letter of the law whenever he or she takes legal action against every violation observed. More specifically, a police officer writes the speeding driver a citation for exceeding the legal speed limit, as well as any other possible violations (e.g., expired driver’s license, expired registration, or failing to wear a seatbelt.) On the contrary, an officer who follows a less rigid approach to enforcement will give more breaks and overlook minor violations. Both approaches are appropriate depending on the totality of the circumstances.7
Corpus Delicti
Corpus delicti means the body of the crime. The suspect over any crime is made on twoelement actus reus and mens rea. The intention and the commission of crime successfully make the charges and punishment valid. These elements are basic to prove any crime. The guilty mind and act, both are essential components for proving corpus delicti. The principle of corpus delicti applied to prove the occurrence before conviction for commission of crime. For suspects and charges, evidence is must. The charges cannot be filed without proper evidence and body. The absence of evidence goes with confession. The confession needs fulfillment of components, lack of component, weakens the confession. The relevance and connection of corpus, crime, evidence admissibility of confession, fair trial, component of corpus delicti and related case laws will further be discussed under this topic.8
Confessions Versus Admissions
A confession is a written or oral statement by the accused to a person in authority that admits a factual element to the government’s case. Where a confession has been admitted as evidence in the case, the trier-of-fact may consider the statement as proof of facts found within it. All confessions must be voluntary to be admissible. This is the court's key concern. When it is not voluntary is it not reliable and so is not admissible in evidence. Also, the government must prove voluntariness beyond a reasonable doubt. The confession must be given sufficient context background to be admissible. If the statement is too vague and the context of the statement could have multiple meanings, it should not be admitted.
An admission of guilt can encompass statements that are direct admissions of guilt or admission of fact that tends to prove guilt. Such an admission can be by words or by conduct that could reasonably be taken as intending to be an assertion.
7George Cartwright (2024)
8Singh (2020)