LBA
Law in Society
Period 1
2020
Legal terms discussed in the course (in alphabetical order)
Accessorial liability = responsibility for participating in the criminal act of another. His/her
responsibility is derivative from that of the principal.
Actus reus= One of the two basic legal elements of a crime, it defines the physical act that
constitutes the crime. Three elements: conduct, consequences, circumstances.
Aiding and abetting = Providing material assistance, encouragement, or moral support to the
commission of a certain crime, which has a substantial effect on its commission.
Beyond reasonable doubt = The legal principle which states that a criminal conviction can
only be based on a law which existed at the time the acts or omission with which the accused
is charged were committed.
Blameworthiness = whether one is to be blamed for their action(s).
Bona fide = (acting in) good faith. Can be a possible excuse for liability.
But for test (conditio sine qua non) = The but for test of causation asks whether the crime
would still have been committed without the accused’s actions.
Cas fortuit = unforeseeable event. Excuse for strict liability.
Causality = establishing a relationship between the accused’s act and the prohibited
consequence.
Compensation = the main aim of Tort law. Compensating the claimant to rectify the
damages that was done to them.
Conscious negligence = The accused was aware of the risk that his actions will bring about
the commission of a crime but, owing to the circumstances in place, did not accepts the risk.
(no volitional element). Similar to recklessness.
Co – perpetration = mode of criminal liability of jointly committing a crime. It rests on a
role allocation meted out in a common plan.
Crime = a public wrong.
Criminal code = written law.
Declaration of rights = a validation of your rights. A legal declaration given by a judge.
Declatory judgement = A court’s decision that only confirms the existence of a legal
relationship.
1
, Deterrence = the legal aim of preventing future torts and crimes.
Deviatory crimes = crimes that are not an agreed part of the plan – but are a natural and
foreseeable consequence of its execution – can also be attributed to the accused.
the accused commits the crime jointly with another person. Objective element: the accused
shares a common plan to commit a crime with at least one other person; objective element:
the accused provides a significant contribution to the execution of the said common plan,
resulting in the commission of the crime; subjective element: the accused shared a common
intent (purpose) with his confederate(s) to commit the agreed crime
Responsibility for “incidental” (deviatory) crimes of the common criminal plan • crimes that
are not an agreed part of the plan – but are a natural and foreseeable consequence of its
execution – can also be attributed to the accused.
Additional subjective element : the accused foresaw a risk that the additional, “incidental”
crime may take place and accepted that risk by continuing to participate in the common
criminal plan. (i.e. dolus eventualis).
Direct intent (dolus directus) = highest degree of intent in criminal law. The behavior is
acted out willingly. The accused knows that his acts will certainly bring about the
commission of the crime and desires this by carrying out those acts. The volitional part is
very dominant.
Direct/principal responsibility = responsibility for the crime proper. Responsibility
independent from other accessory partners of the crime.
Dolus eventualis = The accused is aware of a risk that his acts or omissions may result in the
commission of a crime and nevertheless accepts that risk
Double jeopardy = the legal prohibition of bringing someone to trial for the same thing. You
cannot be trialed for a case that was already given a judgement.
Duty to mitigate = Duty to mitigate is your duty to minimize the loss. The obligation to
choose the lowest form of compensation. You are liable to lower the amount of harm. The
plaintiff must abide the duty to mitigate by choosing the cheapest solution for compensation.
Duty to act= one is under duty to prevent harm caused by prior conduct created a cource of
risk or danger.
Duty of care = whether the defendant has exercised reasonable care.
Duress = The accused commits the crime under a threat of imminent death or imminent
serious bodily harm to himself or to another person, and acts reasonably and necessarily to
avoid that threat, without intending to cause greater harm than the one he seeks to avoid.
Effectiveness = limiting principle of criminal law. Whether the offence can be effectively
criminalized and punished.
2
Law in Society
Period 1
2020
Legal terms discussed in the course (in alphabetical order)
Accessorial liability = responsibility for participating in the criminal act of another. His/her
responsibility is derivative from that of the principal.
Actus reus= One of the two basic legal elements of a crime, it defines the physical act that
constitutes the crime. Three elements: conduct, consequences, circumstances.
Aiding and abetting = Providing material assistance, encouragement, or moral support to the
commission of a certain crime, which has a substantial effect on its commission.
Beyond reasonable doubt = The legal principle which states that a criminal conviction can
only be based on a law which existed at the time the acts or omission with which the accused
is charged were committed.
Blameworthiness = whether one is to be blamed for their action(s).
Bona fide = (acting in) good faith. Can be a possible excuse for liability.
But for test (conditio sine qua non) = The but for test of causation asks whether the crime
would still have been committed without the accused’s actions.
Cas fortuit = unforeseeable event. Excuse for strict liability.
Causality = establishing a relationship between the accused’s act and the prohibited
consequence.
Compensation = the main aim of Tort law. Compensating the claimant to rectify the
damages that was done to them.
Conscious negligence = The accused was aware of the risk that his actions will bring about
the commission of a crime but, owing to the circumstances in place, did not accepts the risk.
(no volitional element). Similar to recklessness.
Co – perpetration = mode of criminal liability of jointly committing a crime. It rests on a
role allocation meted out in a common plan.
Crime = a public wrong.
Criminal code = written law.
Declaration of rights = a validation of your rights. A legal declaration given by a judge.
Declatory judgement = A court’s decision that only confirms the existence of a legal
relationship.
1
, Deterrence = the legal aim of preventing future torts and crimes.
Deviatory crimes = crimes that are not an agreed part of the plan – but are a natural and
foreseeable consequence of its execution – can also be attributed to the accused.
the accused commits the crime jointly with another person. Objective element: the accused
shares a common plan to commit a crime with at least one other person; objective element:
the accused provides a significant contribution to the execution of the said common plan,
resulting in the commission of the crime; subjective element: the accused shared a common
intent (purpose) with his confederate(s) to commit the agreed crime
Responsibility for “incidental” (deviatory) crimes of the common criminal plan • crimes that
are not an agreed part of the plan – but are a natural and foreseeable consequence of its
execution – can also be attributed to the accused.
Additional subjective element : the accused foresaw a risk that the additional, “incidental”
crime may take place and accepted that risk by continuing to participate in the common
criminal plan. (i.e. dolus eventualis).
Direct intent (dolus directus) = highest degree of intent in criminal law. The behavior is
acted out willingly. The accused knows that his acts will certainly bring about the
commission of the crime and desires this by carrying out those acts. The volitional part is
very dominant.
Direct/principal responsibility = responsibility for the crime proper. Responsibility
independent from other accessory partners of the crime.
Dolus eventualis = The accused is aware of a risk that his acts or omissions may result in the
commission of a crime and nevertheless accepts that risk
Double jeopardy = the legal prohibition of bringing someone to trial for the same thing. You
cannot be trialed for a case that was already given a judgement.
Duty to mitigate = Duty to mitigate is your duty to minimize the loss. The obligation to
choose the lowest form of compensation. You are liable to lower the amount of harm. The
plaintiff must abide the duty to mitigate by choosing the cheapest solution for compensation.
Duty to act= one is under duty to prevent harm caused by prior conduct created a cource of
risk or danger.
Duty of care = whether the defendant has exercised reasonable care.
Duress = The accused commits the crime under a threat of imminent death or imminent
serious bodily harm to himself or to another person, and acts reasonably and necessarily to
avoid that threat, without intending to cause greater harm than the one he seeks to avoid.
Effectiveness = limiting principle of criminal law. Whether the offence can be effectively
criminalized and punished.
2
