De Minimis Non Curat Lex - The law does not govern trifles or ignores insignificant details | Maxims

The legal maxim "De Minimis Non Curat Lex" translates to "The law does not concern itself with trifles". It is a principle used in both civil and criminal law to avoid addressing matters that are too minor or insignificant to warrant legal action.
Explanation:
Purpose: The maxim ensures that courts focus on significant legal disputes and avoid wasting time on trivial matters that have little or no real consequence.
Application in Civil Law: In civil cases, this principle is invoked to dismiss claims involving very small amounts of money or insignificant issues. For example, if a minor damage occurs that doesn’t cause substantial loss, the court may not entertain the claim based on this doctrine.
Application in Criminal Law: In criminal cases, it is applied when the offense is so minor that it does not justify prosecution or punishment. For instance, accidentally taking an item of very low value might be considered "de minimis" if there was no harmful intent or significant impact.
Example:
If someone trespasses by stepping onto another person’s property for a moment without causing any harm, this would be considered too trivial to be a legal issue under the doctrine of de minimis.
This maxim thus serves to prioritize the court's time and resources for matters that have a substantial legal impact.
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