malum prohibitum

malum prohibitum (mal-[schwa]m proh-hib-i-t[schwa]m), n. [Latin ¡°prohibited evil¡±] An act that is a crime merely because it is prohibited by statute, although the act itself is not necessarily immoral. ? Misdemeanors such as jaywalking and running a stoplight are mala prohibita, as are many regulatory violations. Pl. mala prohibita Cf. MALUM IN SE. ¡ª malum […]

MALUM PROHIBITUM malum prohibitum (mal-[schwa]m proh-hib-i-t[schwa]m), n. [Latin ¡°prohibited evil¡±] An act that is a crime merely because it is prohibited by statute, although the act itself is not necessarily immoral. ? Misdemeanors such as jaywalking and running a stoplight are mala prohibita, as are many regulatory violations. Pl. mala prohibita. Cf. MALUM IN SE.