Natural and Legal Person

A natural person is a living human being. This definition is meant to set a natural person apart form a legal person which is a group of people acting in a unified, often commercial enterprise but are considered by law to be acting as a single virtual individual. Companies, partnerships and similar entities are considered legal persons.

Natural person start his or her life as unborn baby. Person, even if it is not born, has rights and duties as any other natural person. Unborn baby has right to live and to be born, but also has an obligation to, for example to pay off parent’s debt. This caused many polemics because of abortion. Legal person start its life when it is registered in commercial court. It lives as long as it is written in commercial court. The natural person and the legal person are entitled to many similar rights as well as duties. Both may sue, be sued and sign contracts. Only natural persons can marry, vote and hold public office. Most countries recognize an individual’s full rights as a natural person when he or she reaches the age of 18.

For example, both natural and legal persons have the right to free speech. While free speech is a cherished right for natural persons, it is also important for legal persons. This allows legal entities such as newspapers to print stories and opinions that might not always be to the government’s liking. Free expression has its limits for natural and legal persons; both can be sued for libel.