when a corporate director real estate agent financial advisor or another individual with a fiduciary duty breaches that duty through willful and intentional inaction nonfeasance can be said to have taken place for example when a real estate agent accepts an earnest money check from a client but fails to deposit that check causing the deal to fall through the realtor might be held liable for nonfeasance and not a more serious offense as long as the funds weren t misused and the agent had no inappropriate motive 
similarly a corporate director might be held liable for nonfeasance if they fail to maintain an active role in the business and monitor corporate affairs such that their inaction causes harm to the business related legal termsnonfeasance is different from malfeasance which refers to the willful intentional undertaking of an illegal or wrongful act that harms another party it also differs from misfeasance which is the willful intentional performance of an inappropriate or incorrect action or the willful giving of incorrect or inappropriate advice all three terms fall under the umbrella of misconduct in public office 