Legal vs. Lawful

[John-JCs]

I have been studying the law for a few years now and keep seeing certain phrases pop-up.

One distinction I see time and time again is a differentiation between legal and lawful.

 

IS there a difference, and if so what is it?

Both Black's and Bouvier's law dictionary have many statements that differentiate between the two, but finding an actual answer seems to be harder than I expected

[honeybee13]

Illegal is just a sick bird? Sorry about that, I'd be interested to know too. What about illicit?

 

My best, HB

[ims21]

Hi

 

Found a couple of threads that may help

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?2893-Silly-Question

 

and

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?2517-unlawful-or-illegal-defintions

 

Regards

 

ims

[John-JCs]

To be honest, I know the answer as I've been studying law for about 5 years now.

I just wanted to hear some crazy answers.

 

Every time I ask people this question I get a different answer.

I actually had a judge say to me "I make the law. If I say you jump, you jump."

 

I just think it's sad that most people don't know the difference when it can, literally, mean the difference between spending years in jail.

 

A great man once said: "If you don't know your rights, you have none."

[Gick]

To be honest, I know the answer as I've been studying law for about 5 years now.

I just wanted to hear some crazy answers. In other threads you have admitted that your 5 years 'studying law' amounts to simply reading legal books. To study law requires a structured course at University, College or by Correspondence, set by those who know more than you. The point is that reading on your own fails to put the content into context and consequently miss rebuttals of argument. It can be likened to shotgun vs rifle.

 

Every time I ask people this question I get a different answer.

I actually had a judge say to me "I make the law. If I say you jump, you jump." Such a foolish suggestion, a Judge enacts the law for the purpose of imposing sactions (punishment) laid down by that law which has been created by Parleament. He might jokingly refer to the rules by whch his Court is conducted but that statement would still be 'unlawful'.

 

I just think it's sad that most people don't know the difference when it can, literally, mean the difference between spending years in jail.Complete rubbish as the difference is mostly of an academic interest and the punishment remains the same.

 

A great man once said: "If you don't know your rights, you have none." Would you care to provide the citation for this quotation?

 

Silly boy, silly question

[william81]

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