Criminal Law Chapter 3 Flashcards

Study Notes

Essential Elements of a Crime

Four fundamental components: Actus Reus, Mens Rea, harm element, and cause element.
Actus Reus refers to the individual's voluntary act or failure to act, which constitutes the "guilty act."
Mens Rea signifies the individual's mental state or intention behind the act, often referred to as the "guilty mind."

Actus Reus

Represents the physical act or omission that leads to the commission of a crime.

Mens Rea

Indicates the mental element of the crime, encompassing the intention or knowledge behind the action.

Types of Mental States for Intent

Evil intent involves deliberate wrongdoing.
Knowingly committed signifies awareness and understanding of the nature of the act.
Recklessly defines a disregard of a substantial risk that results in harm.

Reasonable Doubt Standard

Required level of certainty needed to convict a defendant in criminal trials.
A jury must be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty.

Strict Liability Crimes

Crimes where guilt is established without proof of mens rea, focusing solely on the act.
Examples include certain traffic violations, which require proof of harm but not intent.

Crime

Defined as an action or omission that violates state or federal law, leading to legal consequences.

Moral Wrong

Describes an act deemed unjust by societal standards, considered morally unacceptable.

Causation

Essential principle where prosecution must prove the defendant's act caused harm to the victim.
Involves two types of causation: cause in fact and proximate cause.

Cause in Fact

Refers to the actual, direct cause of an event; a necessary component of establishing liability in tort law.

Proximate Cause

Legal concept identifying a sufficiently strong connection between an act and resulting injury to impose liability.

Legal Presumption

A legal rule allowing a conclusion about one fact based on the established proof of another fact without needing further evidence.

Presumption of Innocence

Fundamental legal principle asserting that an accused person is considered innocent until proven guilty.

Description

This quiz covers the essential elements of a crime, including the concepts of Actus Reus and Mens Rea. It also explores different types of mental states for intent. Perfect for students studying criminal law and seeking to reinforce their understanding of key terms.