rule of law

noun

1. the principle that all people and institutions are subject to and accountable to law that is fairly applied and enforced; the principle of government by law.

Word History and Origins

Origin of rule of law¹

First recorded in 1500–10

Example Sentences

His every act was subject to “approval,” and this “process” is what marks the difference between a “show investigation” and the “rule of law.”

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Smith warned his audience that the rule of law in the United States was “under attack.”

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For their part, judges speak for the Constitution and the rule of law.

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Legal scholars, former judges and law professors are having a collective heart attack over what the administration, particularly the Justice Department and Supreme Court, are doing to the rule of law and the Constitution.

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Aside from the challenge this style represents to the rule of law and ordered liberty, it can have baleful political consequences too.

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When To Use

What is the rule of law?

The rule of law refers to the idea that everyone in a society agrees to be governed by and follow the laws of a society.