Criminal Law: The Basics

Table of Contents: Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4 || Chapter 5 || Chapter 6 || Chapter 7 || Chapter 8

Return to: Criminal Law's Main Page || Suggested Links || About the Author || Roxbury Publishing Company's Main Page || A Note from the Author

Support Materials: Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4 || Chapter 5 || Chapter 6 || Chapter 7 || Chapter 8

Chapter 1: Introduction to Criminal Law

Criminal Law
   The Common Law Tradition
    Holland v. State of Florida
   Deciding What Conduct Is
     Deemed Criminal
   Common Law and Criminal Codes
   Criminal and Civil Law
    Katko v. Briney
   Classification of Offenses--Felonies and Misdemeanors

Federal Form of Government

Federal Criminal Law
   Direct Federal Interests
   Indirect Federal Interests

The Purposes of Punishment
   Retribution
    Gregg v. Georgia
   Deterrence
   Incapacitation
   Rehabilitation

Procedural Considerations
   Jury Trials vs. Bench Trials
   The Order of Trial
   Jury Selection
   Challenges to the Panel
   Opening Statements
   The Presentation of the Prosecution's
      Case in Chief  
   The Presentation of the Defendant's Case
      Case in Chief
   The Presentation of the Prosecution's
      Rebuttal Case
   The Defense Motion for Acquittal
   Closing Arguments
   Jury Instructions
   The Jury's Verdict
   Motions After Verdict

The Supremacy Clause

Discussion Questions

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Chapter 2: Constitutional Limitations on the Definition and Punishment of Criminal Offenses

Prohibitions Against Bills of Attainder

Due Process

Substantive Due Process
   Precision
   Vagueness
    City of Chicago v. Jesus Morales et al.  
   Overbreadth
   The Right to Privacy
    Griswold v. Connecticut
   Criminalizing Conduct Deemed Immoral
    Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Bonadio
    Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Wasson


Procedural Due Process
   "Megan's Law"
    State v. Bani

Equal Protection
   Loving v. Commonwealth of Virginia

Prohibitions Against Ex Post Facto Laws

Cruel and Unusual Punishment
   Barbaric Punishments
    Gregg v. Georgia
   Disproportionate Punishments
    Harmelin v. Michigan
    Atkins v. Commonwealth Virginia


Discussion Questions

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Chapter 3: General Principles of Criminal Liability

The Criminal Act/Actus Reus
   Criminal Act or Status?
    Robinson v. California
   Voluntariness
    State of Arizona v. Miguel Angel Lara
   Criminal Liability in the Absence of an Act (Omissions)
     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. John Barry Kellam
   Is Possession an Act?
    Byrd v. Texas
   Presumptions and Actus Reus
    Ulster County Court v. Allen
   Double Jeopardy Considerations
    Brown v. Ohio

Criminal Intent/Mens Rea
   Mala in Se Offenses
   Mala Prohibita Offenses
   Defining Criminal Intent
   The Traditional Common Law Approach
     State v. Gordon
   The Doctrine of Transferred Intent  
     People v. Scott
   The Model Penal Code Approach
     Furr v. State
   Presumptions and Criminal Intent
     Sandstrom v. Montana

Concurrence

Strict Liability
  The People v. Juan J. Coria

Causation
   Factual Causation
   Proximate Causation
    Commonwealth v. Berggren
   Independent Intervening Cause
    People v. Saavedra-Rodriguez

Discussion Questions

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Chapter 4: Complicity and Vicarious Liability

Complicity
   Complicity Under the Common Law
      People v. Norris
   Proving Complicity
    State v. Mobbley
   Oregon v. Allred


Vicarious Liability
   United States v. Park
   Parental Liability for Failure to Supervise Child
   Corporate Criminality
     State of Iowa v. Casey's General Stores, Inc.
   Due Process Considerations
   State of Iowa v. Hy-Vee, Inc.

Discussion Questions

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Chapter 5: Inchoate Crimes

Solicitation
   Actus Reus
   Mens Rea
    Robert J. Santora v. Commonwealth of Virginia

Attempt
   Actus Reus
      U.S. v. Pedro Hernandez-Franco
   Mens Rea
     State v. Frank Reed Norlund
     Eric R. Cooke v. Commonwealth of Virginia

   Impossibility as a Defense

Conspiracy
   Actus Reus
   Mens Rea
     State of Connecticut v. Victor Torres

Discussion Questions

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Chapter 6: Criminal Defenses

Affirmative Defenses
   Self-Defense and Defense of Others
     Colorado v. Steven Silva
   Defense of Property and Habitation
     Colorado v. Mark Janes
   Necessity (Choice of Evils)
     Bodner v. State

Excuse Defenses
   Duress
   Intoxication
     State of Hawaii v. Tony Souza
   Incompetency
   Insanity
     State of Colorado v. Robin V. Tally
     State v. David Barrett

   Mistake of Fact
     United States v. Lloyd D. Cook
   Mistake of Law
     Kipp v. State of Delaware
   Entrapment
     Wisconsin v. James L. Schuman

Other Defenses
   Alibi
     Pennsylvania v. Kolenda
   Good Character Defense

Discussion Questions

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Chapter 7: Crimes Against Persons

Homicide
   First Degree Murder
     Hawaii
     Virginia
     Nebraska
     State v. Roy J. Townsend
   Second Degree Murder
     State of Nebraska v. Tyler J. Keup
   Felony Murder
     People v. Lisl E. Auman
   Manslaughter
      Voluntary Manslaughter
       Involuntary Manslaughter
         State v. Kenneth Wood
      Negligent Manslaughter

Traditional Crimes of Assault and Battery
   Battery
   Assault
      Contemporary Assault Statutes
        Hopkins v. the State

Rape and Sexual Assault
   Legislative Reforms
     State v. Douglas Goodwin
   Rape Shield Laws
     State of Oregon v. Paul T. Beeler
   Statutory Rape

Kidnapping
   Tony Elozar v. State

False Imprisonment
   Robert Lovett v. State

Discussion Questions

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Chapter 8: Crimes Against Property and Habitation

Larceny
   Edward A. Brame v. Virginia

Embezzlement
   Maine v. John R. Moon

Larceny by False Pretenses (Theft by Deceit)
   Darrell S. Lewis v. Virginia

Consolidated Theft
   Utah v. John J. Bush

Robbery
   Tennessee v. David L. Owens

Extortion/Blackmail
   United States v. Charles G. Stephens, Sr.

Forgery
   Ohio v. Willis Miller

Burglary, Arson, and Trespass to Land
   Burglary
     People v. Michael Davis
   Arson
     State v. Harry Lollis
   Trespass to Land/Dwellings
     State of Tennessee v. Joseph Vella

Discussion Questions

Index

Case Index

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Return to: Criminal Law's Main Page || Suggested Links || About the Author || Roxbury Publishing Company's Main Page || A Note from the Author || Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4 || Chapter 5 || Chapter 6 || Chapter 7 || Chapter 8