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General Rules of Criminal Law in the USA

1. Presumption of Innocence

2. Criminal Act (Actus Reus)

3. Criminal Intent (Mens Rea)

4. Strict Liability Offenses

5. Concurrence

6. Causation

7. Defenses in Criminal Law

  • Self-defense: If someone uses reasonable force to protect themselves or others from imminent harm, they may not be held criminally responsible.
  • Insanity defense: A person may argue that they were not mentally competent at the time of committing the crime, preventing them from understanding the nature of their actions or distinguishing right from wrong.
  • Duress: If a person commits a crime due to immediate threats of harm to themselves or others, they may be able to use duress as a defense.
  • Alibi: An individual may claim that they were somewhere else at the time of the alleged crime, providing evidence to support their absence.

8. Classification of Crimes

  • Felonies: These are more serious crimes and generally involve significant harm to people or property. Felonies include offenses such as murder, rape, robbery, and grand theft. Convictions for felonies typically result in imprisonment for over a year and can lead to long-term consequences like loss of civil rights.
  • Misdemeanors: Misdemeanors are less severe offenses, and the punishment typically involves less than one year in jail or fines. Examples of misdemeanors include petty theft, simple assault, or public intoxication.

9. Due Process

10. Punishments and Sentencing

11. Double Jeopardy and Protection Against Self-Incrimination

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