Noun

1. The set of policies (laws, plans, actions, behaviors) of a government. (Since governments claim authority and responsibility (to varying degrees) over a large group of individuals, they see fit to establish plans and methods of action that will govern that society.)

Quotations

• 1993 Henry H. Perritt, Jr. "Knowbots, Permissions Headers and Contract Law", paper for the conference on Technological Strategies for Protecting Intellectual Property in the Networked Multimedia Environment

  "The licensee exceeding the use restrictions would argue that it violates public policy to enforce the restrictions and therefore that state contract law may not impose liability for their violation."

• 2001 Ohio Revised Code TITLE [41] XLI LABOR AND INDUSTRY» CHAPTER 4113: MISCELLANEOUS LABOR PROVISIONS 4113.62

  "Construction contract provisions against public policy.

"(A) Any provision of a construction contract, agreement, or understanding that waives rights under a surety bond is void and unenforceable as against public policy."

• 2001 Plosker, JA "Privacy on thin ice? Considering the California Court of Appeal decision in Johnson v. Superior Court". Jurimetrics 2001 Fall;42(1):73-83

  "In Johnson v. Superior Court, the California Court of Appeal determined that a provision of a contract limiting the discovery of the identity of a sperm donor was against public policy and that the privacy interest did not protect against disclosure of this information. Although the court's analysis of the public policy exception to the enforcement of contracts was unnecessary, the opinion properly balances California's and petitioners' interests against an anonymous donor's privacy right."

Related terms

• public affairs
• political science
• government
• govern
• policy