Important Legal Definitions
Explore legal terms, clear definitions and practical examples.
Presumption that Legislature Knows the Law
Canons of Statutory Interpretation
Definition
The canon assuming that when the legislature enacts a statute, it is fully aware of existing laws, the state of the common law, judicial interpretations already rendered, and the meaning of technical legal words employed in the text.
Example
In State of Madras v. Gannon Dunkerley & Co., the Supreme Court held that when Parliament used the phrase "sale of goods" in the Seventh Schedule, it must be presumed to know the legal definition already established under the Sale of Goods Act, 1930.