gap in the law; legal lacuna
A legal term referring to a situation where existing law does not cover a particular case or issue.
Because this case falls under a gap in the law, the judge referred to precedents.
Compound of 法 (law) + の (possessive particle) + 欠缺 (lack, deficiency). 欠缺 is a formal term for absence or deficiency, often used in legal contexts.