inhabilitation

Inhabilitation, also rendered as disqualification, is a legal sanction that bars a person from exercising certain rights, duties, or occupations for a defined period or permanently. It is used primarily in civil and administrative law to prevent individuals from holding public office, serving on government bodies, or engaging in regulated professions, and may also restrict management of assets, guardianship, or fiduciary roles. The term is common in jurisdictions with civil-law traditions and is often codified in criminal, electoral, or professional statutes.

Grounds for inhabilitation include criminal convictions involving dishonesty, corruption, malfeasance, or breach of public duties; professional misconduct or failure to meet licensing requirements; conflicts of interest or abuse of office; or other serious violations of law or regulation. In some systems, mentally incapacitating conditions or incapacity to manage affairs can also trigger inhabilitation, though typically under separate provisions.

Procedures typically require a formal decision by a court or regulatory authority after due process, including notification, evidence, and the right to appeal. Some jurisdictions impose provisional or automatic inhabilitación upon certain findings, subject to later review.

Effects of inhabilitation include removal from office, prohibition from seeking or holding elected or appointed positions, and bans on practicing a regulated profession or serving in fiduciary roles. The duration can be temporary (a fixed term or conditional on rehabilitation) or permanent, and many systems allow for restoration of rights after rehabilitation, time expiry, or satisfying conditions. Appeals and reviews are common.

Because the term and its consequences vary by country, readers should consult local statutes or regulatory bodies for precise definitions, procedures, and time limits.