Pykälänä

Pykälänä is a Finnish term that translates roughly to "as a paragraph" or "as a legal provision." It is commonly used in legal and administrative contexts to refer to a specific section or clause within a law, statute, or regulation. When someone refers to something "pykälänä," they are usually indicating that the matter is governed by a particular rule or legal text, often with the implication that there is a defined procedure or consequence associated with it.

The term is fundamental to understanding Finnish legal documents, which are organized into numbered sections, or "pykälät." Each pykälä contains specific provisions that outline rights, obligations, prohibitions, or procedures. For instance, a law might be divided into several chapters, and each chapter would contain multiple pykälät. Discussions about legal matters in Finland frequently involve referencing these specific pykälät to pinpoint the exact legal basis for a claim or argument.

The concept is similar to how "section" or "article" is used in other legal systems. The precise meaning of a pykälä is determined by its wording and its context within the larger legal framework. When legislation is amended, it is common to refer to the specific pykälä that is being changed. Thus, "pykälänä" serves as a direct and concise way to refer to the granular level of legal text.