Online Membership Application Definition of Moral Turpitude

Definition of Moral Turpitude

Moral turpitude is a legal concept in the United States that refers to “conduct that is considered contrary to community standards of justice, honesty or good morals.” The concept of moral turpitude escapes precise definition but has been described as an “act of baseness, vileness or depravity in the private and social duties which a man owes to his fellowmen, or to society in general, contrary to the accepted and customary rule of right and duty between man and man.” The specific acts that such a concept includes inevitably change over time, as general public acceptance or abhorrence of issues alters.

The following crimes constitute moral turpitude, but are not inclusive of all crimes involving moral turpitude:

  • Abandonment of a minor child
  • Arson
  • Assault with intent to kill, commit rape, commit robbery or commit serious bodily harm
  • Assault with a dangerous or deadly weapon
  • Assault, Aggravated
  • Bigamy
  • Blackmail
  • Bribery
  • Burglary
  • Contributing to the delinquency of a minor
  • Counterfeiting
  • Embezzlement
  • Extortion
  • False pretenses
  • Forgery
  • Fraud
  • Fraud against revenue or other government functions
  • Gross indecency
  • Harboring a fugitive from justice (with guilty knowledge)
  • Incest
  • Kidnapping
  • Larceny (grand or petty)
  • Lewdness
  • Mail fraud
  • Malicious destruction of property
  • Manslaughter (voluntary and involuntary)
  • Mayhem
  • Murder
  • Pandering
  • Paternity fraud
  • Perjury
  • Prostitution
  • Rape (including “Statutory rape”)
  • Receiving stolen goods
  • Robbery
  • Tax evasion
  • Theft (when it involves the intention of permanent taking)
  • Transporting stolen property