MISCHIEF RULE

mischief rule.In statutory construction, the doctrine that a statute should be interpreted by first identifying the problem (or “mischief”) that the statute was designed to remedy and then adopting a construction that will suppress the problem and advance the remedy. — Also termed rule in Heydon’s Case; purpose approach. Cf. GOLDEN RULE; PLAIN-MEANING RULE; EQUITY-OF-THE-STATUTE RULE . [Cases: Statutes 184. C.J.S. Statutes § 316.]

[Blacks Law 8th]