Fundamentals
The principle that no one can be convicted of, or punished for, a crime unless the law defined the crime and prescribed the punishment before the person engaged in the behavior.
Principle of Legality
A crime that does not require a mens rea, such as traffic offenses or statutory rape.
Strict Liability
A defense where the defendant admits to the act but claims it was justified under the circumstances.
Justification
A person who aids, abets, or encourages another to commit a crime.
Accomplice
The crime of planning or agreeing with another to commit a crime.
Conspiracy
The requirement that a criminal act must be voluntary.
Actus Reus
The failure to perform a legal duty, such as failing to file taxes.
Omission
The defense that allows the use of force if a person reasonably believes it is necessary to prevent imminent death or serious bodily harm.
Self-Defense
The crime of helping someone after they have committed a crime to evade arrest or prosecution.
Accessory After the Fact
The crime of attempting to commit a crime but failing to complete it.
Attempt
The mental element of a crime, often described as a "guilty mind."
Mens Rea
The level of culpability where a person is aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk but chooses to disregard it.
Recklessness
The rule stating that a person does not have to retreat if they are in their own home.
Castle Doctrine
The rule that an accomplice is liable for the crime they intended to aid and any other crimes that were a natural and probable consequence of that crime.
Natural and Probable Consequences Doctrine
The act of encouraging, hiring, or commanding another person to commit a crime.
Solicitation
The legal requirement that a defendant's act triggered a chain of events that resulted in a specific criminal harm.
Causation
The level of culpability defined by a gross deviation from the standard of care that a law-abiding person would observe.
Negligence
A defense that excuses the defendant’s conduct because they lacked the capacity to form the necessary mens rea.
Excuse
The person who actually commits the actus reus of the crime.
Principal
The test for attempt that requires the defendant to have passed the point of no return.
Physical Proximity Test
The theory of criminal law that focuses on the "eye for an eye" approach to punishment
Retribution
The doctrine that holds a person criminally liable for the acts of another, typically in a partnership or employer-employee relationship.
Vicarious Liability
The standard used to determine legal insanity in many jurisdictions, focusing on whether the defendant knew the nature of their act or that it was wrong.
M'Naghten Rule
The requirement that an accomplice must have the specific intent to promote or facilitate the commission of the crime.
Dual Intent
The defense to conspiracy or attempt that requires a complete and voluntary abandonment of the criminal purpose.
Renunciation