Legal Definitions - pecuniary gain

Definition: Pecuniary gain refers to an increase in money or something that has monetary value. It can also refer to the excess of receipts over expenditures or sale price over cost. In criminal law, it is any monetary or economic gain that motivates the commission of an offense. For example, murder can be aggravated to capital murder if the murderer is paid to commit the crime.

Examples:

• John received a pecuniary gain of $10,000 from selling his car for more than its original cost.
• The thief stole the jewelry for pecuniary gain, hoping to sell it for a profit.
• In a divorce settlement, the pecuniary gain from the sale of the couple's house was split equally between the spouses.

The examples illustrate how pecuniary gain can refer to an increase in money or something that has monetary value, such as the profit from selling a car or stolen jewelry. It can also refer to the excess of receipts over expenditures or sale price over cost, as seen in the divorce settlement example.