Original intent

Original intent refers to a legal interpretative philosophy that seeks to understand and apply the meaning of a legal text, particularly a constitution, based on the intentions of the authors or framers at the time the text was created. This approach often emphasizes the historical context, debates, and circumstances surrounding the drafting of a legal document. In the context of constitutional law, original intent proponents argue that courts should interpret constitutional provisions based on what the framers were intending to achieve when they wrote them.