Malum in se
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Malum in se (plural mala in se) is a Latin phrase meaning wrong in itself. The phrase is used to refer to conduct thought to be inherently wrong by nature, independently of regulations governing the conduct. It is distinguished from "malum prohibitum", which is wrong only because it is prohibited. For example, murder is generally agreed to be wrong regardless whether a law exists where the conduct occurs, and is thus recognizably malum in se, whereas driving on the right side of the dividing line in a no-passing zone is wrong in England, only because the law of that country requires cars to drive on the left of the dividing line (but in the United States the rule is reversed, not because of moral differences between the people, but merely because a different rule has been established). Crimes as larceny, rape and murder are considered malum in se. This concept was used to develop the various common law crimes.
