"...nobody does a better job than Nolo." - USA Today
Nolo Logo

Since 1971, Nolo's goal has been simple: Make America's legal system accessible to everyone. Our website, books, software, online legal forms and lawyer directory help millions of individuals, businesses and nonprofits solve their legal problems each year.

Small text sizeMedium text sizeLarge text size Print this page
 

Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary

Legal Dictionary Home

malice
A willful or intentional state of mind, in which the actor intends to bring about an injury or wrongdoing. 1) In criminal law, malice can be evident by the act itself, as when someone purposefully injures someone else. Murder requires proof of malicious intent, and first-degree murder requires "malice aforethought." 2) In a defamation lawsuit (libel or slander), the jury's finding that the defendant acted with malice may increase the plaintiff's damages. In order for a public figure to win a defamation lawsuit, he or she must prove malice on the part of the defendant. (See also: malice aforethought)
Dictionary

Search the whole dictionary:

Bestsellers

Browse all books, software & legal forms >

Find A Lawyer

Enter zip or city, state ("Boston, MA")

Attorney Profiles

Attorneys: Get Listed

Advertisement

Advertise Here

Nolo Partner

This service is operated by JustAnswer.
Nolo provides no guarantee of the information provided.