A little nit pick - "The exception that proves the rule" is commonly misused as above. It means that by their being an explicit exception a rule must exist for

A little nit pick - "The exception that proves the rule" is commonly misused as above. It means that by their being an explicit exception a rule must exist for their to be an exception. For example: "Special leave is given for men to be out of barracks tonight till 11.00 p.m."; "The exception proves the rule" means that this special leave implies a rule requiring men, except when an exception is made, to be in earlier. The value of this in interpreting statutes is plain. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exception_that_proves_the_rule http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exception_that_proves_the_rule