Legal Definitions - repugnancy

Definition: Repugnancy refers to an inconsistency or contradiction between two or more parts of a legal document, such as a contract or statute.

• A contract that states an employee will receive a bonus if they work for the company for one year, but also includes a clause that allows the employer to terminate the employee at any time, creates a repugnancy.
• A statute that prohibits the sale of alcohol on Sundays, but also allows for the sale of alcohol during certain religious ceremonies on Sundays, creates a repugnancy.

These examples illustrate how repugnancy can occur when two or more parts of a legal document conflict with each other. In the first example, the contract promises a bonus for a year of work, but also allows the employer to terminate the employee at any time, which could prevent the employee from fulfilling the requirement for the bonus. In the second example, the statute prohibits the sale of alcohol on Sundays, but also allows for exceptions for certain religious ceremonies, which creates confusion and inconsistency in the law.