What you're advocating is indeed rigid formalism.
I'm sure there are 1 or 2 judges, probably in Texas or some other backward shit hole.
The example I post above is used to impart to early law students the idiocy of rigid formalism. It's an accepted example of the perils of formalism. The fact that you can't see this suggests you're a bit out of touch with the law in America (I.e. you are way out of your depth).