lainkohdat

Lainkohdat is the Finnish term for the individual provisions or sections of a law. The word combines lain, meaning law, with kohta, meaning point or section, and it denotes the discrete rules that make up a legislative act. In most legal texts, a statute is organized into chapters and sections, with the sections commonly referred to as pykälät; each lainkohta contains a specific rule, obligation, right, or exemption and is identified by a number to enable precise citation, for example “lainkohdat 3 and 7” or “§ 3.”

The arrangement of lainkohdat enables clear interpretation and application by authorities and clarity for citizens and businesses. Provisions are often cross-referenced within the same act or to provisions in other laws, and they may be accompanied by definitions, transitional provisions, or repeal clauses. When a law is amended, existing lainkohdat may be modified, repealed, or replaced, and new ones can be added. Transitional provisions manage the shift from old to new rules to prevent gaps in the law.

In practice, lawyers, judges, and scholars analyze relevant lainkohdat to determine obligations, rights, or penalties and to resolve potential conflicts between provisions. Related concepts include laki (law), pykälä (section/paragraph), and säädäntö (statutory regulation).