Sanctions (law)
Penalties or enforcement means for legal obedience; also official approval.
Sanctions, in law and legal definition, are penalties or other means of enforcement used to provide incentives for obedience with the law or other rules and regulations. They appear in criminal, civil, and international contexts, with forms ranging from fines and incarceration to involuntary dismissal of a case or international measures authorized by the United Nations Security Council. The term is also used, sometimes contradictorily, to mean 'approve of' in an official context.
- field
- Law
- known_for
- Penalties or enforcement means for legal obedience; also used to mean official approval
- etymology
- From Latin sānctiō, meaning 'a law or decree that is sacred or inviolable'
Lore & Background
Sanctions in law are penalties or other enforcement mechanisms designed to incentivize compliance with legal rules. In criminal law, sanctions can include serious punishment such as corporal or capital punishment, incarceration, or severe fines. In civil law, sanctions are usually monetary fines levied against a party or attorney for procedural violations or abuse of the judicial process, with the most severe being involuntary dismissal with prejudice of a cause of action or answer, effectively ending the case without recourse except for appeal or trial de novo if reversible error exists. In international law, the United Nations Security Council may authorize sanctions to maintain or restore international peace and security under Article 41 of the UN Charter.
Reader's Guide
The concept of sanctions is central to legal systems, serving as a tool for enforcement across criminal, civil, and international domains. In criminal law, sanctions range from fines to capital punishment, while civil sanctions typically involve monetary penalties or dismissal of claims. International sanctions, authorized by the UN Security Council, aim to preserve peace and security. The term also carries a contradictory meaning of official approval, as in 'the law sanctions such behavior.' This dual usage reflects the Latin origin of sanction as a sacred or inviolable decree that imposes both approvals and penalties. Understanding sanctions is crucial for grasping how legal systems maintain order and enforce rules, though the term's ambiguity can lead to confusion.
Did You Know?
- The term 'sanctions' is usually used in the plural form even when referring to a single event, such as a judge imposing sanctions.
- In the United States federal court system, certain types of conduct are sanctionable under Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
- The word 'sanction' can also mean 'approve of,' especially in an official context, creating a potential contradiction.
- Sanction comes from the Latin word sānctiō, meaning 'a law or decree that is sacred or inviolable.'
More in Public Law 1-24
Elsewhere in the Public Law universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record