Legal Definitions - responsible

In legal terms, being responsible means that an individual or entity has an obligation to perform a duty, or can be held accountable for an action, inaction, or outcome. This accountability can arise from various sources, such as a legal duty imposed by law, a contractual agreement, or a delegated authority. When someone is responsible, they are expected to answer for their conduct or ensure a specific task is completed.

• Example 1 (Tort Law - Accountability for Harm): Imagine a homeowner who fails to repair a broken step on their porch, despite knowing it's a hazard. A delivery person trips on the step, falls, and breaks their arm. In this situation, the homeowner would likely be considered responsible for the delivery person's injury. Their failure to maintain a safe property, a legal duty, directly led to the harm, making them accountable for the resulting damages.

• Example 2 (Contract Law - Obligation to Perform): Consider a software development company that signs a contract to build a custom application for a client by a specific deadline. Under this agreement, the software company is responsible for delivering the fully functional application on time and according to the agreed-upon specifications. If they fail to do so, they are accountable for breaching the terms of the contract.

• Example 3 (Delegated Authority - Accountability to a Higher Body): A state legislature passes a law creating a new environmental protection agency and grants it the power to regulate industrial pollution. This new agency is responsible to the state legislature for carrying out its mandate, enforcing environmental laws, and reporting on its activities. The agency must ensure it acts within the powers delegated to it and fulfills its duties to protect the environment as intended by the legislature.