Question

Turpis arbiter means:

• A. Corrupt judge
• B. Inefficient lawyer
• C. Corrupt prosecutor
• D. Inefficient judge

Hint:

In legal Latin, “arbiter” is always linked to a decision-making role; adjectives like “turpis” or “bonus” describe the moral character of that role.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

The phrase “Turpis arbiter” comes from Latin, where “turpis” means “dishonourable”, “base”, or “corrupt”, and “arbiter” means “judge” or “referee”.
Combined, it refers to a judge who is morally corrupt or acts dishonourably in the execution of their duties.
In historical legal texts, the term was used to criticise judicial officers who acted with bias, accepted bribes, or otherwise compromised the fairness of proceedings.
Option (b) “Inefficient lawyer” does not match the meaning of “arbiter”, which refers specifically to someone with judging authority.
Option (c) “Corrupt prosecutor” also fails because a prosecutor is an advocate, not a judicial authority.
Option (d) “Inefficient judge” describes incompetence but not corruption, which is a moral failing.
Thus, the correct answer is “Corrupt judge”, indicating a judicial figure acting in a dishonest or unethical way.