Chapter 3: Criminal Law
- Page ID
- 328890
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- 3.1: Functions and Limitations of Law
- This page explores the function of laws as formal social controls that shape behavior according to societal norms, contrasting them with informal controls like social media. It underscores how laws aim to protect rights and advance social progress, yet may also reinforce inequality and serve particular interests. The page critically examines the complexities of the legal system, highlighting issues such as slow adaptability, inherent biases, and the discouragement of political activism.
- 3.2: Civil, Criminal, and Moral Wrongs
- This page explains the distinctions and intersections between civil wrongs, criminal offenses, and moral wrongs. Civil suits involve plaintiffs pursuing damages for grievances, while criminal laws reflect societal norms enforced by the government. Moral wrongs relate to personal character. The page includes examples, such as the O.J.
- 3.3: Sources of Criminal Law- Federal and State Constitutions
- This page covers the foundations of criminal law, rooted in various sources like constitutions and case law, highlighting the limitations set by the U.S. Constitution and key amendments. It discusses proportionality in penalties, landmark Supreme Court cases on privacy and personal freedoms, and the interplay between state and federal constitutions.
- 3.4: Sources of Criminal Law- Statutes, Ordinances, and Other Legislative Enactments
- This page covers the legislative framework for law creation at federal, state, and local levels, focusing on states' authority to regulate crime through police powers. It notes Congress's limited constitutional power to enact criminal laws, impacting interstate commerce, and discusses conflicts between state and federal laws, particularly on marijuana.
- 3.5: Sources of Law- Administrative Law, Common Law, Case Law and Court Rules
- This page covers administrative law created by government agencies to fill regulatory gaps, as well as the historical development and ongoing importance of common law in the Anglo-American legal system. It highlights the principle of stare decisis, which binds judges to precedents, and the role of court rules in procedural governance.
- 3.6: Classifications of Law
- This page outlines crime classifications based on seriousness and harm, including felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions, with examples like California's "wobblers." It categorizes offenses by the type of harm they cause, such as against persons or property, and differentiates between mala in se (inherently evil) and mala prohibita (prohibited by law). Additionally, it distinguishes between substantive law, which defines crimes, and procedural law, which details enforcement mechanisms.
- 3.7: Substantive Law- Defining Crimes, Inchoate Liability, Accomplice Liability, and Defenses
- This page covers key concepts in criminal law, including substantive law, actus reus, and mens rea. It defines various crimes and accomplice liability, explaining inchoate crimes and vicarious liability. The page also categorizes defenses into perfect and imperfect, along with justifications, excuses, and procedural defenses. Justifications argue for the social necessity of harmful acts, while excuses focus on personal circumstances like insanity.
- 3.9: Substantive Law- Physical Punishment Sentences
- This page examines the historical and legal aspects of physical punishment in the U.S., focusing on corporal punishment and capital punishment. It notes the abolition of corporal punishment as a legal sanction post-1978 and discusses the complexities of the death penalty, including moral concerns and its costs. Key legal cases, like Coker v. Georgia and Roper v.
- 3.10: Substantive Law- Monetary Punishment Sentences
- This page explores monetary punishments in the legal system, detailing fines, civil forfeiture, and restitution. It emphasizes judicial discretion and its impact on poorer defendants, illustrated by Tate v. Short. Civil forfeiture permits government seizure of assets linked to crime, with Eighth Amendment limitations, as seen in Timbs v. Indiana.
- 3.12: Procedural Law
- This page outlines the criminal justice process through five key phases: the Investigative Phase assesses probable cause for arrests; the Pretrial Phase focuses on jurors, evidence rules, and defendants' rights; the Trial Phase addresses fair trial rights and evidence presentation; the Sentencing Phase considers victims' rights and mitigation in capital cases; and the Post-Conviction Phase covers appeals, counsel rights, and post-conviction relief requests.