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Simple English definitions for legal terms
impute
Read a random definition: People v. William Freeman (1847)
A quick definition of impute:
Impute: When we say someone is imputed with something, it means we are giving them responsibility or blame for something. This can happen even if they didn't ask for it or know about it. For example, if someone is working for another person, their knowledge is imputed to their boss. This means their boss is responsible for what they know. It's important to remember that impute is different from infer, which means to guess or figure something out without knowing for sure.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: Impute means to attribute or assign responsibility to someone for something. It can also mean to place blame on someone for the actions of another person due to their relationship.
For example, if a company's CEO makes a decision, that decision is imputed to the entire company, as the CEO is seen as representing the company. Similarly, if a parent is responsible for their child's actions, the parent can be imputed with the child's actions.
It's important to note that imputing does not necessarily mean that the person being assigned responsibility sought or accepted that responsibility. It can be assigned regardless of their knowledge or acceptance of it.
One way imputing can occur is through the law of agency. For instance, if an agent has knowledge of something, that knowledge is imputed to their principal.
It's important to differentiate impute from infer. Infer is a more general term that doesn't necessarily imply that a person has absolute knowledge of something, while impute implies that a person has the corresponding knowledge or duty.