2.8 Legal Interpretation

Thus far, we have identified the main sources of law (State, federal, and international), but have you noticed how we have also talked about law cases like Wilkerson v. Florida (the State case in which Florida's animal cruelty law was challenged under the vagueness doctrine) and Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife (the federal case that tells when when a private party can sue the government to enforce its own laws)? In other words, we need courts to interpret the meaning and scope of laws, so courts are also a major source of law. To further illustrate the indispensable role courts play, we will introduce the facts of Yates v. United States, a case involving a commercial fisherman who was charged under a financial fraud law.