subsume
In law, to subsume means to bring a specific occurrence within a broad rule. When a court subsumes a case, it decides that it fits within an established analytical framework. From there, the court plugs each relevant fact of the case into the broad rule and obtains its holding. This process involves classifying a particular case, fact, or situation under a broader legal principle or category, helping to apply general laws to individual cases by determining that the specifics of the case fall under the purview of a wider legal standard.
[Last reviewed in June of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team]
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