Lainkohteiden

Lainkohteiden is a Finnish term used in legal language to refer to the objects or subject matter that a law or regulation governs. A lainkohde can be a person, a group, an organization, an activity, a good, or an area of conduct that falls within the scope of a statute. The plural genitive form lainkohteiden translates roughly as “of the objects/subjects of the law” and is used when discussing multiple regulated entities or areas.

Lainkohteiden concept is central in both drafting and interpretation of legislation. When lawmakers define the scope of a statute, they identify the lainkohteet to specify who or what is subject to the law and what conduct or conditions the law regulates. Proper definition helps ensure the rule’s applicability is neither too narrow nor unnecessarily expansive, and it aids in resolving questions about whether a given case falls within the law.

In practice, texts often present lainkohteiden in scope clauses, lists, or definitions, enumerating the targeted actors or phenomena. For example, a regulation might state that its lainkohteet include private individuals, corporations, and certain associations, or it might limit application to specific market activities. The term is primarily used in formal legal writing and scholarly discussion; in everyday language, many speakers simply refer to the “kohteet” of the law.

See also: lainsäädäntö, laki, kohde.