Legal Dictionary of Pakistan

Scienter

n. [Latin "knowingly"] 1. A degree of knowledge that makes a person legally responsible for the consequences of his or her act or omission; the fact of an act's having been done knowingly, esp. as a ground for civil damages or criminal punishment. See KNOWLEDGE; MENS REA. 2. A mental state consisting in an intent to deceive, manipulate, or defraud. 0 In this sense, the term is used most often in the context of securities fraud. The Supreme Court has held that to establish a claim for damages under Rule lOb-5, a plaintiff must prove that the defendant acted with scienter. Ernst & Ernst v. Hochfelder, 425 U.S. 185, 96 S.Ct. 1375 (1976).