originalist
uh-RIJ-uh-nuh-list
Definition
A judicial philosophy that interprets the Constitution based on its original public meaning at the time it was adopted, rather than according to evolving modern social values.
Etymology
The word is derived from the Latin 'originalis,' meaning 'first' or 'earliest.' It emerged in modern legal theory to describe the practice of grounding constitutional interpretation in the specific historical context of the text's creation.
In the news
Alito labels his approach 'practical originalism,' explaining that he aims to remain faithful to the original intent of the Constitution's framers while avoiding overly broad modern interpretations.
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito says it’s ‘absolutely wrong’ to vote based on ‘correlation with what Trump wants’
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