Legal Definitions - public wrong

A public wrong refers to an act or omission that violates a law established to protect the interests, safety, and well-being of the community or society as a whole. Unlike a private wrong, which primarily harms an individual and typically leads to a civil lawsuit, a public wrong is considered an offense against the state. Consequently, the government (through prosecutors) initiates legal action to punish the offender and deter similar acts, aiming to uphold public order and justice. These wrongs are often categorized as crimes.

Here are some examples illustrating a public wrong:

• Example 1: Driving Under the Influence

  Imagine a driver who operates their vehicle while significantly impaired by alcohol, swerving dangerously and narrowly avoiding several collisions before being pulled over by law enforcement. Even if no accident occurred, this act is a public wrong.

  Explanation: Driving under the influence is a public wrong because it poses a direct threat to the safety and lives of everyone else on the road and in the community. It violates laws designed to protect public safety and maintain order. The state, representing the collective public, prosecutes the driver for this offense to punish the dangerous behavior and deter others from similar actions, regardless of whether any specific individual suffered direct harm.

• Example 2: Large-Scale Tax Evasion

  Consider a wealthy individual or a corporation that deliberately hides substantial income and assets through complex schemes to avoid paying millions of dollars in legally owed taxes over several years.

  Explanation: This constitutes a public wrong because tax evasion deprives the government of essential funds needed to provide public services such as infrastructure maintenance, education, healthcare, and national defense. When individuals or entities evade taxes, the burden often shifts to law-abiding citizens, or public services suffer, thereby harming the entire community. The government, on behalf of the public, would pursue criminal charges for tax fraud to ensure fairness in the tax system and recover lost revenue.

• Example 3: Illegal Dumping of Hazardous Waste

  A manufacturing company secretly disposes of barrels of toxic chemical waste into a remote, unmonitored section of a national forest, contaminating the soil and groundwater that feeds into nearby streams.

  Explanation: This is a public wrong because it causes significant environmental damage that affects public lands and natural resources, which are held in trust for the benefit of all citizens. The contamination threatens wildlife, ecosystems, and potentially the health of any person who might use the affected water or land. The state or federal government would prosecute the company for violating environmental protection laws, seeking penalties and requiring costly cleanup efforts to protect public health and the environment.