Mens Rea

Definition

Latin for 'guilty mind' — the mental state or intent a person must have to be convicted of a crime. Different crimes require different levels of culpability, ranging from negligence to recklessness to knowledge to specific intent or willfulness.

Examples

• •Justice Kavanaugh's concern that a seller who genuinely believed their product was not a regulated firearm could be criminally charged under the expanded rule — and Prelogar's response that the statutory willfulness requirement under § 924(a)(1)(D) guards against such prosecutions

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