was wrong in law

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was wrong in law" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in legal contexts to indicate that a decision or interpretation was incorrect according to legal standards or principles. Example: "The court found that the previous ruling was wrong in law, leading to a retrial of the case."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

However it was wrong in law".

The Guardian

Memory said he believed Fulcher had acted honestly, but was wrong in law.

The Guardian

They will say that, even if Adebolajo was wrong in this belief, it was for the jury to decide on its merits, and the judge was wrong in law to rule it could not go before them because it did not amount to a defence based on any legal principles.

The Guardian

Mr Evans said Mr Grieve was wrong in law and was "overriding an independent and impartial tribunal".

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Solicitor Ben Davison, head of immigration advice at Ison Harrison Solicitors said he had written directly to the Home Office on Tuesday, "setting out why we believe their decision to remove Afusat and her daughters is wrong in law".

Independent

In a judgment handed down on Wednesday, Mr Justice Saunders said the company, now trading as News UK, had argued it would "be wrong in law to take into account the position of News International as the owner of the News of the World or its conduct as relevant factors" in his assessment of a cost application.

The Guardian

"People might say they can't call you Carol unless you have a piece of paper to prove it, but that's wrong in law and actually, the Inland Revenue will quite happily change your name and gender on the system with the same level of security.

The Guardian

As long as we are debating this issue of necessity for a health-of-the-mother exception on the basis of Casey, it is really quite impossible for us dissenters to contend that the majority is wrong on the law any more than it could be said that one is wrong in law to support or oppose the death penalty, or to support or oppose mandatory minimum sentences.

The New York Times

DREW: Romney's answer on his biggest mistake was very smart: To say he was wrong in supporting an abortion law he didn't believe in it as Governor of Massachusetts.

Huffington Post

I hope equally that the US government, if it seriously wishes to improve bilateral relations, at least privately recognizes and acknowledges to Cuba that what he did was wrong in respect to Cuban law and will not be repeated.

Huffington Post

Dr. Remley, in an interview Friday, said that she and many other legal and medical experts believe that Mr. Cuccinelli was wrong in his interpretation of the law, that its wording allows a more flexible application of the construction requirements.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was wrong in law" to specifically denote that a decision, action, or interpretation contradicts established legal principles or statutes.

Common error

Avoid using "was wrong in law" when the issue is about morality or ethics, not legality. "Wrong in law" refers specifically to a legal error, not a moral judgment.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was wrong in law" functions as a declarative statement asserting that a previous action, decision, or interpretation contradicted legal standards. As Ludwig AI confirms, this expression is grammatically sound and appropriate for legal contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

12%

Formal & Business

13%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was wrong in law" is a grammatically correct and usable expression denoting that a decision or action was legally incorrect. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. Predominantly found in news and media sources, it serves to express disagreement with or criticism of a legal determination, often in a neutral to formal register. When using this phrase, ensure that the context genuinely pertains to legal accuracy rather than moral judgments. Alternatives such as "was legally incorrect" or "constituted a legal error" can offer similar meanings with slight nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was legally incorrect

Replaces "wrong in law" with a more direct adjective, maintaining the legal context.

was erroneous in law

Substitutes "wrong" with "erroneous", indicating a mistake or error in a legal sense.

was a legal misjudgment

Uses a noun phrase to describe the situation, emphasizing the act of misjudging the law.

constituted a legal error

Highlights the action as a "legal error", focusing on the mistake's nature.

was not legally sound

Emphasizes the lack of a solid legal basis for the action or decision.

did not comply with the law

Shifts the focus to non-compliance, indicating a failure to adhere to legal requirements.

violated legal principles

Points out a violation, suggesting a more serious departure from established legal principles.

was a misinterpretation of the law

Specifies the problem as a misinterpretation, clarifying the nature of the legal issue.

was legally unsustainable

Indicates that the decision or action could not be maintained or defended legally.

lacked legal validity

Highlights the absence of legal force or legitimacy.

FAQs

What does "was wrong in law" mean?

It means that a decision, action, or interpretation was incorrect or invalid according to legal standards or principles.

How can I use "was wrong in law" in a sentence?

You can say, "The court determined that the initial judgment "was wrong in law" and ordered a retrial."

Which is more appropriate, "was wrong in law" or "was legally incorrect"?

Both are appropriate, but "was wrong in law" is a more common idiom, while "was legally incorrect" is more direct.

What are some alternatives to saying "was wrong in law"?

Alternatives include "was erroneous in law", "constituted a legal error", or "violated legal principles" depending on the specific context.