pay (one's) debt to society

To serve the sentence given to one upon conviction of a crime. In the eyes of the law, he has paid his debt to society, so he shouldn't be facing any further punishment for his past crimes. I spent nearly 15 years in prison—I paid my debt to society!

See also: debt, pay, society, to

See also:

pay (one's) dues to society
pay one's dues to society
pass sentence (on someone or something)
pass sentence on
three-strike(s) law
be on death row
happen
lose (one's) edge
lose your edge
sentence

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.