extralegal

Extralegal describes actions, authorities, or measures that fall outside the formal framework of law or operate without legal authorization. The term contrasts with lawful and illegal, and is used to discuss procedures, powers, or practices that exist outside or beyond recognized legal rules.

In practice, extralegal can refer to non-state enforcement (such as vigilante justice), informal or customary norms that police behavior or resolve disputes without formal judicial review, and extralegal penalties or sanctions imposed without court involvement. It may also describe economic or administrative activity outside statutory regulation, such as the underground or informal economy, or other measures that escape formal legal oversight.

The term is often used in discussions of governance, security, and human rights to highlight the gap between formal law and actual practice. Some observers view extralegal actions as potentially necessary in times of weak institutions or crisis, while others argue that they undermine accountability, due process, and the rule of law. The concept also appears in analyses of colonial, revolutionary, or transitional contexts where established legal orders are contested or in flux.

See also: extralegal governance, vigilante justice, rule of law, extrajudicial.