culpa-

(Latin: blame; responsible for wrong or error)

culpa (s) (noun), culpes (pl)
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.
Culpa caret qui seit sed prohibere non potest. (Latin statement)
Translation: "He is clear of blame who knows, but cannot prevent."
Culpa est immiscere se rei ad se non pertinenti. (Latin statement)
Translation: "It is a fault for anyone to meddle in a matter not pertaining to him."
Culpa lata. (Latin term)
Translation: A legal term signifying "gross neglect" or "serious negligence."
Culpa lata dolo equiparatur. (Latin statement)
Translation: "Gross negligence is held equivalent to intentional wrong."
Culpa levis. (Latin term)
Translation: "An 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 (s) (noun), culpabilities /pl)
The extent of one's guilt in an offence or wrongdoing: Except for strict liability crimes, the type and severity of punishment often follow the degree of culpability.

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.

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.

culpable (adjective), more culpable, most culpable
Relating to the justification of blame or censure as guilty of doing something criminal, evil, improper, or injurious: After Jacob was found culpable for the mismanagement at his company, he was forced to resign.

Sometimes an individual is just as culpable of a wrongdoing when he or she watches someone else doing something illegal and does not notify the authorities.

At the trial, the defendant was charged with culpable negligence for driving through a red traffic light.

President Trump denies any culpable responsibility for the chaos that exists in his staff.

Descriptive of condemnation or blame for neglecting to do something.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Pertaining to deserving responsibility for doing something wrong
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

culpableness
A state or condition of guilt.
culpably (adverb), more culpably, most culpably
Pertaining to how someone or something deserves blame or censure; reprehensibly: The small group of students were culpably reproached by the principal of the school because they didn't notify the teacher on yard duty of the fight that took place in the farthest corner of the schoolyard the day before.
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: The sun is the biggest culprit that causes skin cancer.
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.