Legal Definitions - lenity rule

The lenity rule, also known as the rule of lenity, is a judicial doctrine that applies when a criminal statute is ambiguous and sets out multiple or inconsistent punishments. In such cases, the court should resolve the ambiguity in favor of the more lenient punishment.

For example, let's say a state law sets out a punishment of either a fine or imprisonment for a particular crime, but the law is unclear about which punishment should be imposed. If the court applies the lenity rule, it would choose the more lenient punishment, which in this case would be a fine.

The lenity rule is based on the principle that criminal statutes should be clear and unambiguous, and that individuals should not be subject to harsher punishments than the law clearly specifies. By applying the lenity rule, courts can ensure that criminal defendants are not unfairly punished due to unclear or ambiguous laws.