Important Legal Definitions
Explore legal terms, clear definitions and practical examples.
Judicial Restraint
Constitutional & Public Law Doctrines
Definition
The complementary constitutional principle holding that judges must not overstep their constitutional mandate to legislate from the bench, encroach upon executive policy-making, or replace an elected government's socio-economic priorities with their own.
Example
The Supreme Court declines to entertain a petition seeking a direction to Parliament to enact a specific tax exemption or fix uniform fuel prices across the country, citing judicial restraint.