open-ended laws

Open-ended laws are legal rules that are written broadly enough to apply to a variety of situations, rather than specifying every detail. This flexibility allows courts to interpret and apply the law as circumstances change or as new issues arise. For example, a law prohibiting “unreasonable searches and seizures” gives authorities some discretion, and courts decide what’s reasonable case by case. Open-ended laws provide adaptability but can also lead to challenges in ensuring consistent application and preventing misuse. They rely on judicial interpretation to bridge the gap between general language and specific cases.