Legal systems assign responsibility for harm. Liability is the state of being legally responsible for one’s acts or omissions, exposing a person or entity to court-ordered remedies.

Liability may rest on intentional wrongdoing, negligence, strict duties, or contractual breach. Civil liability typically leads to damages or injunctions; criminal liability leads to punishment. Vicarious liability holds one party responsible for another’s conduct, as when employers answer for employees acting within the scope of employment.

Parties manage liability through careful behavior, insurance, corporate structuring, and contractual indemnities. Determining who is liable and for how much is the core question in most civil litigation. Clear legal rules about liability enable people to plan and to obtain compensation when harmed.

• Legal responsibility for acts or omissions
• May be civil, criminal, or both
• Includes direct and vicarious forms
• Managed through insurance and risk practices