Question

In pari delicto means:

• A. Where the lawyer is at fault
• B. Where the judge is at fault
• C. Where both parties to a dispute are equally at fault
• D. Where the petitioner is at fault

Hint:

“In pari delicto” is often applied to discourage illegal agreements by denying relief to wrongdoers on both sides.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

The phrase “In pari delicto” comes from Latin and is often used in legal contexts dealing with disputes where neither side is innocent.
Breaking it down: “In pari” means “in equal” and “delicto” means “fault” or “wrongdoing”.
Therefore, the literal translation is “in equal fault” — describing a situation where both parties share equal blame for the wrongdoing.
This principle is important in contract disputes or tort law, where courts may refuse to help either party because both were involved in unethical, illegal, or wrongful acts.
For example, if two parties enter into an illegal agreement and one sues the other, the court may apply the doctrine of “in pari delicto” and decline to provide relief to either party.
Option (a) “Where the lawyer is at fault” focuses on an individual’s fault, not both parties.
Option (b) “Where the judge is at fault” concerns judicial misconduct, unrelated to this principle.
Option (d) “Where the petitioner is at fault” applies only to one party, so it is incorrect.
Hence, the only accurate meaning is “Where both parties to a dispute are equally at fault.”