De Minimis non curat lex – literally, the law does not care for or take notice of very small or trifling matters. This is one of the oldest concepts in the law – that immaterial discrepancies or disputes will not be allowed to interfere with the orderly conduct of society.
A frequent use of the de minimis doctrine occurs in real estate and zoning law. For example, if you apply for a variance to build an addition to your house which would encroach one foot into a thirty foot side-yard, that one foot discrepancy would likely be regarded as de minimis and you would be granted relief without showing a substantial hardship.
The de minimis rule protects against a harsh result which would follow from a technical or literal application of the law. Stated differently, discrepancies or disputes must usually be substantial and material before the law will intervene. The doctrine recognizes that human commerce is often an imprecise art rather than a strict science.
A frequent use of the de minimis doctrine occurs in real estate and zoning law. For example, if you apply for a variance to build an addition to your house which would encroach one foot into a thirty foot side-yard, that one foot discrepancy would likely be regarded as de minimis and you would be granted relief without showing a substantial hardship.
The de minimis rule protects against a harsh result which would follow from a technical or literal application of the law. Stated differently, discrepancies or disputes must usually be substantial and material before the law will intervene. The doctrine recognizes that human commerce is often an imprecise art rather than a strict science.
– BBC&B