Legal Definitions - rule of rank

The rule of rank is a legal principle that states that a law that applies to people or things of a lower rank cannot be extended to those of a higher rank using general language. For example, a law that applies to deans, prebendaries, parsons, vicars, and others with spiritual promotion cannot be extended to bishops, who are of a higher order.

This principle is based on the idea that laws should be interpreted based on the specific language used in them, and that general language should not be used to extend the law beyond its intended scope. This helps to ensure that laws are applied fairly and consistently, and that people and things are not subject to laws that were not intended to apply to them.

For instance, if a law is passed that applies to all employees of a company, it cannot be extended to the CEO of the company, who is of a higher rank. Similarly, a law that applies to all students in a school cannot be extended to the principal of the school, who is of a higher rank.