The performance of an act that is legally unjustified, harmful, or contrary to law, especially by a public official. It involves actively doing something wrong rather than failing to act.
From Old French 'malfaisance' meaning 'evil-doing,' combining 'mal' (bad) and 'faire' (to do). The term entered English legal vocabulary in the 17th century to distinguish wrongful acts from mere negligence or failure to act.
Malfeasance is the 'evil twin' in a trio of legal wrongdoing—while nonfeasance is doing nothing when you should act, and misfeasance is doing something poorly, malfeasance is deliberately doing something you know is wrong!
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