In law, individual capacity is a term of art referring to one's status as a natural person, distinct from any other role. For example, an officer, employee or agent of a corporation, acting "in their individual capacity" is acting as himself, rather than as an agent of the corporation. Thus, their actions, in their capacity as an individual would not generally incur a liability on the part of the corporation, nor would they have any protection from liability for their own actions as an individual.
In general, a person may be said by a second party to be acting in their capacity as an individual, whenever the person's actions are the result of their own decisions, rather than being actions to which they are obligated in their capacity as an agent of another person or agency.
Famous quotes containing the words individual and/or capacity:
“Films and gramophone records, music, books and buildings show clearly how vigorously a man’s life and work go on after his “death,” whether we feel it or not, whether we are aware of the individual names or not.... There is no such thing as death according to our view!”
—Martin Bormann (1900–1945)
“He has a capacity for enjoyment so vast that he gives away great chunks to those about him, and never even misses them.... He can take you to a bicycle race and make it raise your hair.”
—Dorothy Parker (1893–1967)