Legal Definitions - necessitas culpabilis

Definition: Necessitas culpabilis (pronounced n-ses-i-tas k-l-pay-b-lis) is a Latin term that means "culpable necessity." It refers to a situation where a person is forced to do something wrong because they have no other choice. While this may excuse the person's actions, they may still be held responsible for what they did.

Example: Lord Bacon used the term necessitas culpabilis to describe a situation where someone kills another person in self-defense. In this case, the person who did the killing may have had no other choice, but they may still be held responsible for taking another person's life. This is because the law assumes that both parties in a fight may be at fault, and it can be difficult to determine who was in the wrong.

Another example of necessitas culpabilis might be a person who steals food to feed their family because they have no other way to get it. While this may be understandable, the person may still be held responsible for breaking the law.

These examples illustrate how necessitas culpabilis can excuse a person's actions to some extent, but they may still be held responsible for what they did. It is a complex legal concept that takes into account the circumstances of each individual case.