Causation

Question 1

Most offenses require a

Answer 1

Specific result

Question 2

For a defendant to be culpable for crimes requiring a specific result, they must be both the

Answer 2

Cause in fact (but for cause) and legal (proximate) cause

Question 3

Cause in fact

Answer 3

But for defendant, result wouldn’t have occurred. Relatively low burden. Does not have to be most important cause, but does have to be one without which the result wouldn’t have occurred

Question 4

Legal (proximate) cause

Answer 4

Result was a foreseeable and natural consequence of action. Harder to prove, limits causation

Question 5

Independent Intervening Incident

Answer 5

Something that breaks the chain of causation and relieves culpability. As name implies, unrelated to defendant’s actions. Think car crash