Also known as: viol · violates · violated · violating · violation · violations · viol.
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
Conduct breaching a legal right, duty, or rule, triggering liability or sanctions under the governing authority.
Federal agents entered Viola Volkov's residence without a warrant or exigent circumstances and seized documents. The agents' conduct breached the security of her home against unreasonable searches. Volkov moved to suppress the evidence on the ground that the entry violated her protected rights.
Attorney Vanessa Vega filed a complaint containing factual contentions she knew lacked evidentiary support. After notice and opportunity to respond, the court found the filing violated certification requirements. The court imposed monetary sanctions jointly on Vega and her firm.
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Counsel Vincente Vukovic served repeated burdensome discovery requests on an unrepresented witness solely to pressure settlement. The requests had no substantial purpose other than to burden the witness. The court sanctioned the lawyer for violating professional conduct standards.
Agent Veronica Villanueva learned of a material contract risk affecting her principal but withheld the information to protect a third party. The principal suffered losses traceable to the nondisclosure. The principal sued the agent for breaching the duty to communicate relevant facts.
Landlord Virgil Volpe received repeated notices of electrical hazards violating the housing code yet failed to repair them. Tenant Valentina Vasquez suffered injury from the unrepaired condition. Vasquez sued Volpe for damages arising from the code violation.
Bailee Voss Shipping used a customer's specialized equipment for an unapproved commercial project. The use exceeded the scope of the bailment and seriously interfered with the owner's control. The owner sued Voss Shipping for conversion.
Most authorities treat violation as an objective breach of the stated right or duty. Intent is not an element unless the governing text expressly requires it.
Supporting sources
After notice and opportunity to respond, the court may impose sanctions on the attorney, firm, or party responsible for the violation, including monetary penalties and nonmonetary directives.
Supporting sources
A landlord is liable for physical harm caused by a dangerous condition that violates an implied warranty of habitability or a statutory duty if the landlord failed to exercise reasonable care to repair it.
Supporting sources
An agent violates the duty only when the withheld information is relevant, the principal would want it, and disclosure would not breach a superior duty to a third person.
Supporting sources
…States is a government of laws and not of men; it will cease to deserve that appellation if the laws furnish no remedy for the violation of vested legal rights. The question is whether this case can be arranged with damnum absque injuria (a loss without an injury) or whether the act of delivering or withholding a commission…