svindelhensyn

Svindelhensyn is a legal term used primarily in Danish and Norwegian civil-law contexts to denote the presence of a fraudulent or deceitful motive behind a person's actions in a commercial or legal setting. The word combines svindel (fraud) with hensyn (consideration or motive), and it refers to the mental state or intention that makes conduct fraudulent or exploitative.

In practice, svindelhensyn functions as a factor in assessing liability, contract validity, or remedies. If a party acts with svindelhensyn, the harmed party may have grounds for voiding a contract, rescission, or damages, and penalties may be more severe than for innocent or negligent conduct. The standard typically requires evidence that the actor purposefully sought to mislead, conceal, or exploit the other party.

The term is most often encountered in national civil codes, consumer protection provisions, and case law, where judges describe conduct as lacking good faith due to svindelhensyn. It is not a separate criminal category in itself, but it may influence punitive measures or civil sanctions.

In relation to other concepts, svindelhensyn overlaps with notions of bad faith and misrepresentation, yet it emphasizes the underlying motive rather than purely the observable outcome. See also: fraud, misrepresentation, bad faith, contract law, civil liability.