Legal Definitions - color of office

Definition: Color of office refers to when a person pretends to have the authority of a government employee and takes actions that are not authorized.

For example, if a police officer demands money from someone in exchange for not giving them a ticket, they are acting under the color of office. Another example is if a government official uses their position to get a job for a family member, even though they are not qualified for the position.

These examples show how someone can abuse their position of power and use it for personal gain, which is not allowed and can be considered a form of official misconduct.