Criminal Law Notes

These flashcards cover key terminology and concepts in criminal law based on the lecture notes.

Actus Reus

The physical act or conduct that constitutes a criminal offense.

Mens Rea

The mental state or intention to commit a crime.

Homicide

The killing of one human being by another.

Murder

Unlawful killing with intent to kill or cause grievous bodily harm (GBH).

Voluntary Manslaughter

A killing that would be murder but is committed in response to provocation.

Involuntary Manslaughter

A killing that results from a lack of intention to kill, typically associated with negligence or a dangerous act.

Common Assault

The act of causing someone to apprehend immediate unlawful violence.

Theft

The unlawful appropriation of property belonging to another with the intention to permanently deprive.

Robbery

The act of taking property from another by force or threat of force.

Burglary

Entering a building as a trespasser with the intent to commit a crime inside.

Consent

Agreement by a person to the conduct of another, which may impact liability in criminal cases.

Self-Defense

A legal defense asserting that a person acted to protect themselves from imminent harm.

Intoxication

A condition resulting from consuming substances that impair mental or physical faculties; voluntary intoxication is typically not a defense to basic intent crimes.

Diminished Responsibility

A partial defense to murder recognizing that the defendant was suffering from a mental condition that impaired their ability to understand their actions.

Loss of Control

A partial defense to murder acknowledging that the defendant lost self-control in response to a qualifying trigger.

Transferring Malice

The principle that intent can transfer from the intended victim to an unintended victim in cases of crime.

Causation

The relationship between a defendant's actions and the resulting harm or outcome.

Abnormality of Mind

A significant disturbance in mental functioning that can be used as a defense in homicide cases.

Trespasser

A person who enters land or property without the permission of the owner.

Duty of Care

A legal obligation to avoid causing harm to others; relevant in negligence cases.

Gross Negligence Manslaughter

A form of involuntary manslaughter where death results from gross negligence.

Complicity

The involvement or participation of a person in a criminal act with the principal offender.