be within (one's) rights
To be permitted or justified by the law to do something or behave a certain way. I'm sorry, sir, but he's within his rights to put these signs on his lawn, even if you find them offensive. They denied entry to the man because he was intoxicated and unruly? Well, they're within their rights. If she thinks she was wrongly terminated, then she's within her rights to file a lawsuit against the company.
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