Criminal law terms

Question 1

actus reas

Answer 1

(“a wrongful deed”) the criminal act which with mens rea makes one criminally liable

Question 2

aggravated assault

Answer 2

most serious assualt: wounds, maims, disfigures or endangers life of the victim

Question 3

aiding or abetting

Answer 3

helping or assisting someone i committing a crime + encouraging, inciting or urging another person to commit a crime

Question 4

assault causing bodily harm

Answer 4

second level of assualt: interferes with the victims health or comfort in a significant way or assault involving a weapon

Question 5

attempt

Answer 5

an effort or try; an act done with the intent to commit an offence

Question 6

Case law

Answer 6

body of legal principles established by judicial decisions, serving as precedent for future cases

Question 7

Conspiracy

Answer 7

a serious agreement or arrangement to commit an unlawful act and authority of a government, defining the rights and duties of its citizens

Question 8

constitution

Answer 8

fundamental legal framework that establishes the structure + principles

Question 9

Criminal code

Answer 9

compilation of laws that define criminal offences, penalties + procedure for prosecution + enforcement

Question 10

Criminal law

Answer 10

the body of public law that declares acts to be crimes and outlines punishments for those crimes

Question 11

homicide

Answer 11

killing another person directly or indirectly

Question 12

homicide in self defence

Answer 12

killing another person to protect oneself from imminent death or serious harm

Question 13

hybrid offences

Answer 13

criminal offences that maybe tried, at the crown’s option, as summary conviction offences or indictable offences, with the corresponding less as more severe punishment’s

Question 14

indictable offences

Answer 14

severe or particularly serious criminal offence, which have correspondingly severe penalties and which proceed by way of a formal court document called an indictment

Question 15

manslaughter

Answer 15

homicide or killing of another person by committing an unlawful act + with only general intent

Question 16

mens rea

Answer 16

Latin phrase meaning “guilty mind” : knowledge, intent or recklessness of ones action (together with actus rea makes one criminally liable)

Question 17

planned or deliberate homicide

Answer 17

intentional killing of another person that is premeditated + and carried out with conscious intent

Question 18

precedent

Answer 18

a legal decision that serves as an example and authority in subsequent similar cases - legal principle in which similar facts result in similar decisions

Question 19

rule of law

Answer 19

fundamental principle that society is governed by law that applies equally to all persons and that neither an individual nor the government is above the law

Question 20

summary offences

Answer 20

minor criminal offences, which are tried immediately without preliminary hearing or jury