Legal Definitions - defacere

Defacere is a Latin term meaning to deface, disfigure, or damage something, particularly in a way that alters its original appearance, integrity, or legibility. It refers to an act that mars, spoils, or renders something less perfect or functional than it was originally.

• Example 1: Vandalism of Public Property

  Imagine a situation where an individual uses permanent marker to draw crude images and words all over a newly painted public bus stop shelter. This act would be considered an instance of defacere.

  This illustrates the term because the graffiti significantly alters the intended clean appearance of the bus stop, disfiguring its surface and diminishing its aesthetic value for the community.

• Example 2: Altering an Official Document

  Consider a scenario where an employee, attempting to hide a mistake, uses correction fluid to cover up a crucial date on a printed company report and then writes a new, incorrect date over it. This action constitutes defacere.

  Here, the employee has defaced the document by altering its original content and legibility, thereby compromising its accuracy and integrity as an official record.

• Example 3: Damaging a Historic Artifact

  Suppose a tourist visiting an ancient ruin carves their initials into a centuries-old stone pillar. This act would be an example of defacere.

  The carving permanently disfigures the historic pillar, marring its original surface and damaging its historical and cultural integrity.