Public policy doctrine balances freedom of contract with community welfare, permitting courts to refuse enforcement when public harm is clear. Public policy is a flexible common-law doctrine permitting courts to refuse enforcement of agreements that are injurious to the public or possess harmful tendencies, while balancing the sanctity of contracts and freedom of contract. Governed by precedent but adaptable to changing social and commercial conditions, the doctrine admits limited exceptions where reason and evolving circumstances justify them. Courts must invoke public policy cautiously, weighing sectional interests against the public good and avoiding the creation of new heads except under compelling circumstances to maintain legal stability.