Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Malum Regimen: This is a legal term used in Scots law to describe bad medical treatment. It means that a person who is accused of causing someone's death can argue that the person actually died because of bad medical treatment, not because of their actions.
Definition: Malum regimen (mal-uhm rej-uh-men) is a term used in Scots law to refer to bad medical treatment. It can be used as a defense in a homicide case, where the defendant argues that the decedent died as a result of bad medical treatment, rather than the defendant's actions.
Example: If a doctor administers the wrong medication to a patient, and the patient dies as a result, the doctor may be accused of malum regimen. However, if the doctor can prove that the patient's death was caused by the hospital's negligence, rather than the doctor's actions, the doctor may be able to use malum regimen as a defense.
The example illustrates how malum regimen can be used as a defense in a homicide case. It shows that if the defendant can prove that the decedent's death was caused by bad medical treatment, rather than their own actions, they may be able to avoid conviction.