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Example
Statutory link
Exceptions / limits
Opposite / Related
Exam tip
Memory trick
Key takeaway
Ignorantia juris non excusat
| Literal meaning | Ignorance of the law is no excuse |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | ig-no-RAN-shee-ah YOO-ris non ex-KYOO-sat |
A person cannot escape liability by saying they did not know the law. Everyone is presumed to know the law of the land. Otherwise anyone could avoid punishment by claiming ignorance.
Example
A shopkeeper sells a banned product and says he did not know it was banned. His ignorance of the law is not a defence.
Statutory link
Indian Penal Code, Sections 76 and 79 (now the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) protect only a mistake of fact, not a mistake of law.
Exceptions / limits
- Ignorance of fact can excuse (see ignorantia facti excusat).
- Where the offence needs knowledge of the law as part of the offence, ignorance of that particular law may matter.
Exam tip
Always pair it with ignorantia facti excusat and the exception for mistake of fact.
Memory trick
Law is everyone's business: not knowing is not a shield.
Key takeaway
Ignorance of the law is no defence, but a genuine mistake of fact may be.
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