Right and obligation are considered by all ethical writers as correlative terms.

Explanation

(English-origin maxim.) Every right implies a corresponding obligation and vice versa — cite this to argue that a party who asserts a right must also acknowledge the duty that accompanies it, and one who bears a duty may enforce the correlative right.

Where this applies

• A landlord demands rent from a tenant but refuses to provide a habitable dwelling; the court holds that the right to collect rent carries the correlative obligation to maintain the property.
• A citizen asserts his right to a jury trial, and the court reminds him that the correlative obligation is to serve on juries when called.
• An employer claims the right to direct an employee's work but denies any duty to provide a safe workplace; the court holds that the right and the obligation are inseparable.