Antonin Scalia Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Antonin Scalia, 2006. (more) originalism judicial philosophy Written by Brian Duignan Brian Duignan is a senior editor at Encyclopædia Britannica. His subject areas include philosophy, law, social science, politics, political theory, and religion. Brian Duignan Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Apr. 30, 2026 •History Originalism, in U.S. law, is a theory of legal interpretation according to which historical laws and legal documents—the U.S. Constitution in particular—are best understood by considering the common meanings of words or phrases at the time the law or document went into effect. Originalism may also take into account, as needed, pertinent historical events, movements, controversies, or other documents from the same time period. A related interpretive theory is textualism, according to which laws and...

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