Mens rea
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Mens rea criminal
'Guilty mind.' The mental state — like intent or recklessness — that the prosecution usually must prove for a crime.
Technical: The mental element of an offense (e.g., purposely, knowingly, recklessly, negligently) that, with the actus reus, generally must be proven to establish criminal liability.
Sources: Cornell LII — Mens rea
A dictionary entry is reference: it describes how a term is used. It is not itself binding law. Why that matters →
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