{"data":{"id":"us-ca/pen-4","jurisdiction":"us-ca","citation":"PEN § 4","heading":"","body":"The rule of the common law, that penal statutes are to be strictly construed, has no application to this Code. All its provisions are to be construed according to the fair import of their terms, with a view to effect its objects and to promote justice.","path":["Penal Code - PEN","PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS"],"source_url":"https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zip","current_through":"2026-09-13","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T05:56:33Z","sha256":"6ebe8d0659841be1a5326a943d1a9e6a7185a2e58da1c94da8b89b3be5473756","source_id":"us-ca","stale":false,"prev":"us-ca/pen-3","next":"us-ca/pen-5"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}