willful blindness

noun

willful blind·​ness
: deliberate failure to make a reasonable inquiry of wrongdoing (as drug dealing in one's house) despite suspicion or an awareness of the high probability of its existence

Note: Willful blindness involves conscious avoidance of the truth and gives rise to an inference of knowledge of the crime in question.

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Cite this Entry

“Willful blindness.” Merriam-Webster.com Legal Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/legal/willful%20blindness. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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