Legal Definitions - ex debito naturali

Term: ex debito naturali
Definition: Ex debito naturali is a Latin term used in Scots law to describe an obligation that arises from moral duty rather than legal duty. Example: If a person finds a lost wallet on the street, they have a moral obligation to return it to its rightful owner, even though there may not be a legal requirement to do so. This obligation is ex debito naturali, meaning it arises from a natural sense of right and wrong rather than a legal obligation. Explanation: The example illustrates the concept of ex debito naturali by showing that there are certain actions that people feel morally obligated to take, even if there is no legal requirement to do so. This term recognizes that there are some obligations that are based on our innate sense of morality and ethics, rather than on laws and regulations.