1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Sanction

SANCTION (Lat. sanctio, from sancire, to decree or ordain), in jurisprudence, the means provided for the enforcement of a law. According to T. E. Holland (Elements of Jurisprudence, 1906, p. 85), “the real meaning of all law is that, unless acts conform to the course prescribed by it, the state will not only ignore and render no aid to them, but will also, either of its own accord or if called upon, intervene to cancel their effects. This intervention of the state is what is called the ‘ sanction ’ of law.” So Justinian (Inst. ii. 1, 10), “ Legum eas partes quibus poenas constituimus adversus eos qui contra leges fecerint, sanction es vocamus.” In general use, the word signifies approval or confirmation.