strict liability

noun

|Updated on: 11 Jul 2018

Definition of strict liability

: liability imposed without regard to fault

Recent Examples of strict liability from the Web

But lawmakers balked at repealing labor protections that impose strict liability on employers for discharging workers.

— andrew scurria, WSJ, "Puerto Rico Overseers Scale Back Spending After Labor-Law Changes Fail," 29 June 2018
Even though this is a strict liability offense, prosecutors will recognize the lack of intent.

— kevin werbach, WIRED, "Why Porn on the Blockchain Won't Doom Bitcoin," 29 Mar. 2018
The Prince George’s County Democrat said adopting a strict liability standard is the most the state can do to discourage drilling.

— michael dresser, baltimoresun.com, "Maryland lawmakers vote to impose strict liability for offshore oil spills," 20 Mar. 2018
Maryland has introduced a bill imposing strict liability on anyone who causes a spill while engaged in offshore drilling or oil or gas extraction.

— wayne parry, chicagotribune.com, "States fight Trump drill plan with local bans," 19 Mar. 2018
There are about 250 new condos coming out this year, but most developers avoid constructing them because of strict liability laws.

— phillip molnar, sandiegouniontribune.com, "More than 2,000 new San Diego apartments to open this year," 9 Mar. 2018
The club also agreed to a strict liability standard preventing minors on the premises.

— fernando alfonso iii and st. john barned-smith, Houston Chronicle, "Controversial Houston strip club reaches settlement with city, can reopen, for now," 1 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'strict liability.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.