Sociological jurisprudence maintains that: a. legal decisions should be based on short-term social goals. b. courts must look beyond the plain meaning of a statute to consider the law's legislative purpose. c. courts should not consider their perceptions of the prevailing public policies in interpreting statutes. d. the law is the command of legitimate political institutions.

b. courts must look beyond the plain meaning of a statute to consider the law's legislative purpose.      

Explanation:

Sociological jurisprudence maintains that courts must look beyond the plain meaning of a statute to consider the law's legislative purpose. Sociological jurisprudence is concerned with social effect of legal doctrines, institutions and practices, the influence of the law within the society and the influence of social phenomena or activities on the substantive and procedural aspect of laws. Sociological jurisprudence suggest that the court must consider the social effect of a statute and not just its legislative purpose.