Legal Ignorance in Italian Private Law

In: European Review of Private Law, Band 29, Heft 2, S. 293-310

Abstract

The paper examines legal ignorance and its interpretation in Italian private law. Moving from a problematic and interdisciplinary approach, it analyses the legal sources which refer to 'ignorance of the law' (mainly, but not only in private law) under various circumstances and the interpretation given to this notion by different branches of the judiciary. Scope of the report is to provide both an overview of the theoretical foundations for allowing or denying justification on grounds of legal ignorance and to highlight the most problematic aspects deriving from its current applications in contemporary digital societies.