Casuistical

/ˌkæʒuɪˈstɪkəl/ adjective

Definition

Using clever but misleading reasoning; relating to the questionable logic of a casuist.

Etymology

From casuist plus the adjective-forming suffix '-ical', meaning it describes reasoning or arguments that follow the pattern of casuistry.

Kelly Says

Legal briefs often use casuistical arguments—exploiting tiny loopholes or edge cases to overturn precedents, which is why people joke that lawyers are professional casuists.

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