Impact

Definition of Impact

Note: See a more comprehensive approach to the Impact legal concept in the American Law Encyclopedia

Direct and indirect effects of appellate court decisions. Impact reflects the extent to which behaviors are changed as a consequence of a court decision. The impact of a decision is dependent on first achieving some degree of compliance. The most direct kind of impact a decision can have is when actual behaviors are modified. For example, utilization of the Exclusionary Rule (Law of the United States) discourages unreasonable searches by law enforcement authorities because improperly obtained evidence cannot be used at a criminal trial. At the same time, strict adherence to the Exclusionary Rule (Law of the United States) may negatively affect the prospects of successfully prosecuting some defendants because it precludes the use of reliable evidence. Court decisions may also have less direct impacts. Some decisions may influence attitudes and reinforce pressure for social change. Decisions that support challenges to gender-based discrimination have contributed to the decrease of some stereotyping about women, especially in the workplace.

See Also

Compliance (Law of the United States) Implementation (Law of the United States).

Resources

Impact Related Resources

• Impact in the United States Legal Encyclopedia
• Judicial Effects and Policies Keywords in the United States Legal Encyclopedia
• Judicial Policies Keywords in the International Legal Dictionary

Notes

• “Impact”, The American Law Dictionary, 1991, California

Impact (Judicial Policies)