Legal Definitions - community obligation

Community obligation refers to a legal or moral duty that a person has to do or not do something for the benefit of their community. It can be imposed by law, contract, promise, social relations, courtesy, kindness, or morality.

For example, in a community property state, a debt or obligation incurred by either spouse after marriage is presumed to be an obligation of the community and not of the individual spouse. This means that both spouses are responsible for paying off the debt, even if only one of them incurred it.

Another example is a moral obligation, which is based on one's conscience and is not legally enforceable. For instance, if someone promises to help their neighbor with yard work out of kindness, this is a moral obligation. While it is not legally binding, it is still a duty that the person feels they should fulfill for the benefit of their community.