Criminal Law

Substantive Criminal Law

Legal definitions of crimes.

Criminal Procedure

Set of rules governing the proceedings of the court, rules governing police procedures, courts, and correction officers.

Rule of Law

Principle that prevents crime law from becoming a tool for dictators.

Ex Post Facto

Laws that make an act a crime retroactively.

Vagueness Doctrine

Legal principle stating that laws must be clear and not overly vague.

Strict Construction

The principle that judges should interpret criminal laws as narrowly as possible.

Common Law

Law that is judge-made and based on precedent.

Stare Decisis

Legal doctrine meaning 'to stand by things decided,' promoting consistency in legal decisions.

Actus Reus

The guilty act; the physical act of committing a crime.

Inchoate Crimes

Crimes that are begun but not completed.

Good Samaritan Laws

Laws that may require individuals to assist those in peril.

Mens Rea

The guilty mind; the intent or knowledge of wrongdoing.

Recklessness

Ignoring known risks or dangers while committing a crime.

Negligence

Criminal behavior that demonstrates a lack of awareness of risks.

Strict Liability

Crimes that do not require mens rea, such as statutory rape.

Causation

The requirement that an act must cause actual harm.

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

The standard of proof required to convict in criminal cases.

Misdemeanors

Crimes punishable by fine or short-term confinement.

Criminal Defenses

Arguments used by defendants to avoid conviction or reduce punishment.

Failure of Proof

The prosecution did not prove the defendant committed the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.

Justification

Defensive argument based on circumstances that made the crime acceptable, such as self-defense.

Insanity Defense

Legal excuse based on a mental disease or defect as outlined by the M’Naughten Rule and the Durham Test.

Duress

A defense claiming that the defendant was forced to commit a crime.

Double Jeopardy

Legal principle prohibiting a person from being tried twice for the same crime.