Taksirli

Taksirli is a Turkish legal term describing actions or outcomes caused by negligence rather than by deliberate intent. It is used to classify certain offenses and civil wrongs as “taksirli,” contrasting with acts committed “kasten” (intentionally) or with other mens rea forms. The central idea is that harm occurred due to a failure to observe the standard of care expected under the circumstances, and that the harm was a foreseeable result of this failure.

In criminal law, taksir implies that the accused did not intend to produce the result but acted with carelessness, imprudence, or a disregard for potential consequences. The applicable standard of care may be higher for professionals or when a specific duty of care applies. To establish taksir, courts typically examine whether the offender deviated from the obligatory standard of care, whether the harm was a probable or foreseeable consequence of that deviation, and whether there is a causal link between the deviation and the harm. Punishments for negligent offenses are generally lighter than for intentional crimes, though penalties can be significant depending on the severity of the outcome and the circumstances.

In civil and administrative contexts, taksir also describes negligent fault leading to liability for damages—for example, accidents, medical negligence, or professional malpractice. The term reflects a broader Turkish legal distinction between negligent (taksirli) and intentional (kast) fault and is used across penal and civil codes to determine fault, responsibility, and compensation. The word taksir originates in Turkish legal usage to denote fault or negligence.