Legal terminology · Responsibility & conduct
mala prohibita — Wrongs because they are prohibited
mala prohibita means wrongs because they are prohibited. Latin source words and legal terminology examples: Conduct described as mala prohibita.
Meaning and source words
Meaning: Wrongs because they are prohibited
- Latin: mala prohibita
Examples and word parts
Conduct described as mala prohibita
Conduct classified as wrongful because a law prohibits it, rather than because it is inherently wrongful.
Word parts: mala (wrongs) + prohibita (prohibited)
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Related responsibility & conduct terms
- mens rea — Required mental state
Proving mens rea
- actus reus — Prohibited conduct
The actus reus of an offense
- bona fide — In good faith
A bona fide transaction
- mala fide — In bad faith
A claim of mala fide conduct
- ultra vires — Beyond one's powers
An ultra vires act
- in loco parentis — In the place of a parent
Acting in loco parentis
- res ipsa loquitur — The thing speaks for itself
Invoking res ipsa loquitur
- respondeat superior — Let the superior answer
Liability under respondeat superior
Sources and usage
From the Word Radicals legal terminology collection. Source words and word parts are learning references; modern meanings can differ from their classical sources.