A narrower but powerful approach focuses on the office of the judge or lawyer. Here, fidelity to law is not about abstract justice but about role-specific duties.
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Fuller contended that fidelity to law is only possible when the following conditions are met: Generality: fidelity to law meaning
Fuller argued that the Nazi "laws" lacked the essential internal morality required to be called law at all. For Fuller, fidelity to law means loyalty to a system that respects the Rule of Law (e.g., laws must be clear, public, and not retrospective). Since the Nazi regime violated these core principles, their commands weren't "law," and the woman could be punished for her actions under pre-existing moral-legal standards. Core Meaning of Fidelity to Law
By contrast, ordinary criminality—theft, fraud, violence—has no claim to fidelity. The difference lies in the motivation and the willingness to accept legal punishment as an expression of respect for the rule of law. A narrower but powerful approach focuses on the
It refers to the duty to provide "legal reasons" for actions rather than helping clients "game" the system. A lawyer shows fidelity by respecting the law's capacity to settle social disputes. 🔍 Why It Matters Fidelity to Law and the Moral Pluralism Premise
No "ex post facto" laws (punishing people for actions that were legal when done). Laws must be understandable. Non-contradiction: Rules cannot require impossible or conflicting things. Practicability: Laws must be possible to obey. Stability: For Fuller, fidelity to law means loyalty to
The meaning of "fidelity" changes depending on the school of legal thought: Legal Positivism (H.L.A. Hart):