Legal Translation of Malice in French: malveillance or préméditation, not malice

⚠️ A major false friend: malice ≠ malice

In French, malice evokes mischief, playful cunning, or even lighthearted humor.
👉 In English legal usage, malice refers to a harmful, malevolent, or even criminal intent.

It is therefore an absolute false friend, particularly dangerous in legal and criminal translations.

⚖️ In criminal law: malevolent intent or préméditation

The term malice is central in Anglo-American criminal law, especially in the expression malice aforethought, which refers to a premeditated intent to harm, required for the qualification of certain crimes.

Examples:

• Malice aforethought
  → Préméditation, intention to harm, or fraudulent intent

• He acted with malice
  → Il a agi avec malveillance

👉 Depending on the context, it may be translated as intention criminelle, animus nocendi, or volonté de nuire.

💻 In technology law: malicious intent in IT

In intellectual property or IT contract law, malice appears in expressions such as:

• malicious code
  → programme malveillant (e.g., virus, spyware, etc.)

• malicious attack
  → attaque malveillante

👉 These terms designate deliberately harmful conduct in a digital system.

❌ Not to be confused with malice (FR)

French malice, although negative or cunning, does not imply serious harm. It may even be playful or affectionate.
👉 Translating malice by malice in a legal context is a serious mistranslation.

✅ In summary

📌 TransLex’s Advice

Before translating malice, ask yourself:

1. Is it used in a criminal, IT, or contractual context?

2. Does it refer to harmful intent, préméditation, or a malicious program?

3. Will the audience understand the potential double meaning in French?

👉 In English legal usage, malice = harmful or criminal intent, never malice (FR).
👉 Translate it as malveillance, fraudulent intent, or programme malveillant, depending on the case.