culpa- +

(Latin: blame; responsible for wrong or error)

culpa
A term in civil law, meaning fault, neglect, or negligence.

There are three degrees of culpa:

  1. Lata culpa, a gross fault or neglect.
  2. Levis culpa, ordinary fault or neglect.
  3. Levissima culpa, slight fault or neglect.

This term is to be distinguished from dolus, which means fraud, guile, or deceit.

culpa lata
Gross neglect.

A legal term, as opposed to culpa levis, "excusable neglect".

culpabilis
In old English law, "guilty". Culpabilis de intrusione, guilty of intrusion. Non culpabilis (non cul.), the plea of "not guilty".

Culpability, blameworthiness. Except in cases of absolute liability, a person's criminal culpability requires demonstrable proof that he/she acted purposely, knowingly, recklessly or negligently, as the law may require, with respect to each material element of the offense.

Culpable conduct, blamable; censurable; criminal; at fault; involving the breach of a legal duty or the commission of a fault. That which is deserving of moral blame. It implies that the act or conduct spoken of is reprehensible or wrong, but not that it involves malice or a guilty purpose.

Culpa caret qui scit sed prohibere non potest. He/She is clear of blame who knows, but cannot prevent.

Culpa est immiscere se rei ad se non pertinenti. It is a fault for any one to meddle in a matter not pertaining to him/her.

Culpa in contrahendo. Term used to describe the liability that attaches to a breach of contract, especially a breach by the offeror after the offeree has begun performance in a unilateral contract and is stopped by the offeror before completion of the performance that is also the acceptance of the offer in a unilateral contract. [Would you consider this typical legalese?].

Culpa lata dolo equiparatur. Gross negligence is held to be equivalent to intentional wrong.

Culpa tenet [teneat] suos auctores. Misconduct binds [should bind] its own authors. It is a never-failing axiom that every one is accountable for his own delicts.

Culprit, one accused or charged with a commission of a crime. Also, commonly used to mean one who is guilty of a crime or a legal fault.

culpability
1. A state of guilt.
2. In explanations and predictions of human action and inaction culpability is a measure of the degree to which an agent; such as, a person, can be held morally or legally responsible.
3. Culpability marks the dividing line between moral evil, like murder, for which someone may be held responsible; and natural evil, like earthquakes, for which no one can be held responsible.
4. From a legal perspective, culpability describes the degree of one's blameworthiness in the commission of a crime or offense.

Except for strict liability crimes, the type and severity of punishment often follow the degree of culpability.

culpable (adjective)
Deserving of blame or censure as being wrong, evil, improper, or injurious.
culpableness
A state or condition of guilt.
culpably
1. In a manner or to a degree deserving blame or censure.
2. Deserving of reproof, rebuke, or censure; blameworthy.
Culpae poena par esto.
Let the punishment be proportioned to the crime.

This principle has long been considered a cornerstone of criminal justice. A problem with this principle lies in the changing mood of the public, so what once appeared to be appropriate punishment for a given crime may now appear too lenient or too harsh.

Culpam maiorum posteri luunt.
Descendants pay for the shortcomings of their ancestors.

Also interpreted to mean: "The sins of the fathers." Is it possible that what we say and do now may affect future generations?

Culpam poena premit comes.
Punishment presses hard upon the heels of crime.

Horace was warning anyone contemplating the commission of a crime that it is very possible that he/she will be punished!

culprit (s), culprits (pl) (nouns)
1. A person or other agent guilty of or responsible for an offense or fault.
2. Someone who is arraigned or charged for an offense or crime.
3. Someone who is guilty of a fault or crime.
4. A person who perpetrates wrongdoing.
disculpate
To free from blame or the imputation of a fault; to exculpate.
exculpate
1. To clear from guilt.
2. To pronounce not guilty of criminal charges.

The prefix ex- means "out of" or "away from" and from the Latin noun culpa, meaning "blame"; so, exculpate means "to clear from guilt". A legal term used in the sense of "excuse" or "justification".

exculpated
Freed from any question of guilt; "He was absolved from all blame."
exculpation
1. The act of freeing from guilt or blame.
2. A defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise, etc.