Crim Law Flashcards
Trier of the law
Judge
Trier of Facts
Jury
Judge made an error of law
Appeal
Needed to investigate
Reasonable Suspicion
Needed for arrest
Probable Cause
Probable Cause
Facts and circumstances within the officer’s knowledge that cause a person of reasonable cation to believe a crime has been committed
Elements of a Crime
Harm, Act, Mental State
IRAC
Issue, Rule of Law, Application, Conclusion
Which branch defines crime
Legislative
Which branch identifies or enforces laws in relation to crime
Executive (LE)
Which branch interprets crime
Judicial
Five Basic Premises of Criminal Law
Act (or omission), Mental State, Concurrence (act & ms must coincide), Causation (Act & Ms cause harm to person or society), All laws must be written to put people on notice
Mental State: Knowledge
Committing an act, but you do it anyway
Mental State: Recklessness
Knows of substantial risk of a wrongful act will occur but does it anyway
Mental State: Criminal Negligence
Failed to be aware of a substantial risk but should be aware whether you can be charged with a crime and what crime.
Mental State: Intent
Objective purpose to commit an act that becomes a crime
Direct Intent
Requires evidence of the senses
General Intent
Meant to do the act
Specific Intent
The means to achieve a result (the crime)
Corpus Delicti
Body of the crime - evidence outside of a confession
Duress
Not a valid defense for murder, manslaughter, murder by abuse
Felony Penalties
Class A (Life / $50k), Class B (10 years / $20k), Class C (5 years / $10k) … Any felony by an officer that breaches oath of law, it is a 10-year statute of limitations
RCW 10.31.100
Misdemeanor Presence Rule
Misdemeanor Penalties
Gross (364 days / $5k), Misdemeanor (90 days / $1k) …. No gross misdemeanor may be prosecuted 2 years after its commission
Common law
Portions of law not explicitly defined so it is up to the courts
Levels of courts
Supreme Court -> Appellate Court -> Trial Court -> Misdemeanor Court
Precedent from the supreme court binds all courts
Persuasive authority (if there is no specific guidance where there is a decision in the line of authority)
Incorporation Act
Bill of right being implemented at the state level