# What is this legal phrase?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-legal-phrase/759576>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [July 10, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-legal-phrase/759576 "2016-07-10T16:46:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-legal-phrase/759576/1 "2016-07-10T16:46:53Z")

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The Congressional Committee interrogating FBI Director occasionally uses some phrase like Mans Har, or such? I can’t catch the phrase. Does anyone know the correct phrase, and what does it mean?

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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-legal-phrase/759576/2 "2016-07-10T16:49:37Z")

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Most likely [mens rea.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mens_rea)

> [@](#):
>
> The standard common law test of criminal liability is usually expressed in the Latin phrase, actus reus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea, which means “the act is not culpable unless the mind is guilty”.

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-legal-phrase/759576/3 "2016-07-10T17:04:29Z")

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Thanks, that’s it! Sounds more like a male venereal disease! 🙂