Judicial minimalism

Judicial minimalism is when judges try to make decisions that only decide the exact issue that is currently at hand, without making broader decisions that could affect other situations. It's like when a kid is playing with a toy and another kid comes along and asks if they can play too. The first kid might say "Sure, but only if we take turns and both play nicely." That decision solves the immediate problem without making any new rules or causing any other problems.

Judges use judicial minimalism to avoid making decisions that could have unintended consequences. They want to make sure that their decisions don't create new legal problems or change the law in unintended ways. It's like when a teacher is grading a test and they want to make sure they only take off points for the mistakes the student made, not for things that aren't really their fault.

Overall, judicial minimalism is a way for judges to be careful and methodical in their decision-making, making sure that they only address the specific issue at hand and don't create any new problems.