Nothing Can Be Made A Crime By A Law Made After The Fact
No Law, made after a Fact done, can make it a Crime
 Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (1651). copy citation

add
Author Thomas Hobbes
Source Leviathan
Topic crime
Date 1651
Language English
Reference
Note
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3207/3207-h/3207-h.htm

Context

“because when men compare the benefit of their Injustice, with the harm of their punishment, by necessity of Nature they choose that which appeareth best for themselves; and therefore when they are punished more than the Law had formerly determined, or more than others were punished for the same Crime; it the Law that tempted, and deceiveth them. Nothing Can Be Made A Crime By A Law Made After The Fact No Law, made after a Fact done, can make it a Crime: because if the Fact be against the Law of Nature, the Law was before the Fact; and a Positive Law cannot be taken notice of, before it be made; and therefore cannot be Obligatory. But when the Law that forbiddeth a Fact, is made before the Fact be done;” source