guilt

guilt

noun blame, blameworthiness, breach of law, censurability, corruption, crime, criminal activity, criminal deed, criminal offense, criminality, criminousness, culpa, delict, delinquency, deviation from rectitude, fault, felonious conduct, ill conduct, immorality, improbity, improper conduct, iniquity, law-breaking, malefaction, malfeasance, malpractice, misbehavior, misconduct, misdeed, misdemeanor, misdoing, misfeasance, misprision, noxia, offense, offense against the law, offensiveness, official misconduct, peccancy, reprehensibility, reproach, sin, sinfulness, transgression, turpitude, unlawful practice, unrighteousness, vice, viciousness, violation, violation of law, vitium, wrong, wrongdoing
Associated concepts: admission of guilt, finding of guilt, guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, guilt by association, nolo contendre, presumption of innocence
Foreign phrases: Cum par delictum est duorum, semper oneratur petitor et melior habetur possessoris causa.When there is equal fault on both sides, the burden is allays placed on the plaintiff, and the cause of the possessor is preferred. Quae sunt minoris culpae sunt majoris infamiae. Those things which are less culpable may be more infamous. Poenae suos tenere debet actores et non alios. Punishment belongs to the guilty, and not othhrs. Excusat aut extenuat delictum in capitalibus quod non operatur idem in civilibus. That excuses or extenuutes a wrong in capital cases which would not have the same effect in civil suits.

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See also: blame, criminality, culpability

guilt

responsibility for a criminal or moral offence deserving punishment or a penalty.

GUILT, crim. law. That quality which renders criminal and liable to punishment; or it is that disposition to violate the law, which has manifested itself by some act already done. The opposite of innocence. Vide Rutherf. Inst. B. 1, c. 18, s. 10.
     2. In general everyone is presumed innocent until guilt has been proved; but in some cases the presumption of guilt overthrows that of innocence; as, for example, where a party destroys evidence to which the opposite party is entitled. The spoliation of papers, material to show the neutral character of a vessel, furnishes strong presumption against the neutrality of the ship. 2 Wheat. 227. Vide Spoliation.