Dressler's Black Letter Outline on Criminal Law

Joshua Dressler

Book - softbound

ISBN-13: 9780314152336

Availability: In Stock

Product Details »

List Price:

$34.00

Shipping: FREE Ground Shipping »

Description

This study aid explains the issues most often covered in criminal law classes. The elements of offenses, defenses to crimes, inchoate conduct, and complicity are covered in doctrinal and theoretical depth, with separate attention to both the common law and Model Penal Code. The major crimes (murder, manslaughter, rape and related sexual offenses, and the theft crimes) are also fully developed.

Features

Includes the author's discussion on the "Do's and Don'ts in Essay Examination-Taking."
"Conversations with Students" are informal readings styled like a professor's discussion to prepare students for what follows
Provides examination and study questions-multiple choice, short answer, and essay-with accompanying answers

More Information

Table of Contents (PDF) »

Table of Authorities (PDF) »

Index (PDF) »

Summary Of Contents

Summary of Contents (PDF) »

Capsule Summary Of Criminal Law
Perspective
Part One: Introductory Principles
1. Criminal Law Overview
  1. "Criminal" versus "Civil"
  2. Sources of the Criminal Law
  3. Limits on the Criminal Law
  4. Burden of Proof: Basics
  5. Judge Versus Jury
2. "Tools" of the Criminal Law
  1. Overview
  2. Theories of Punishment
  3. Proportionality of Punishment
  4. Legality
  5. Burden of Proof
3. Review Questions
Part Two: Acrus Reus
1. Actus Reus: Overview
  1. Definition
  2. Two Elements
2. Voluntary Act
  1. General Rule
  2. Rationale of Voluntary Act Requirement
3. Omissions
  1. General Rule
  2. Rationale for the General Rule
  3. Exceptions to the General Rule
4. Social Harm
  1. Definition
  2. Identifying the Social Harm
  3. Breaking Down the Social Harm Into Categories
5. Review Questions
Part Three: Mens Rea
1. Mens Rea: General Principles
  1. Meaning of "Mens Rea"
  2. Rationale of the Mens Rea Requirement
2. Common Law
  1. "Intentionally"
  2. "Knowledge" or "Knowingly"
  3. Risk-Taking: "Recklessness" and "Criminal Negligence"
  4. "Malice"
  5. "Specific Intent" and "General Intent"
  6. Statutory Construction
3. Model Penal Code
  1. Section 2.02, Subsection 1
  2. Culpability Terms Defined
  3. Interpretative Rules
4. Strict Liability
  1. Nature of a Strict Liability Offense
  2. Public Welfare Offenses
  3. Non–Public Welfare Offenses
  4. Constitutionality of Strict Liability Offenses
  5. Model Penal Code
5. Review Questions
Part Four: Mens Rea and Mistakes of Fact or Law
1. Mistake of Fact
  1. Common Law
  2. Model Penal Code
2. Mistake of Law
  1. General Principles
  2. Exceptions to the General Rule
3. Review Questions
Part Five: Causation
1. Actual Cause (Cause-In-Fact)
  1. General Principles
  2. Steps for Determining the "Actual Cause"
  3. Multiple Actual Causes
  4. Concurrent Sufficient Causes
2. Proximate Cause (Legal Cause)
  1. General Principles
  2. Direct Cause
  3. Intervening Cause
3. Review Questions
Part Six: Defenses to Crime: Justifications
1. Justification Defenses: Generally
  1. Definition
  2. Basic Structure of Justification Defenses
2. Self-Defense
  1. Common Law
  2. Model Penal Code
3. Defense-of-Third-Parties
  1. Common Law
  2. Model Penal Code
4. Defenses of Property and Habitation
  1. Defense of Property
  2. Defense of Habitation
  3. Special Issue: Spring Guns
5. Law Enforcement Defenses
  1. Crime Prevention
  2. Arrest
  3. Tennessee v. Garner
6. Necessity
  1. Common Law
  2. Model Penal Code
7. Review Questions
Part Seven: Defenses to Crime: Excuses
1. Excuse Defenses: Generally
  1. Excuse: Defined
  2. Justification versus Excuse
2. Duress
  1. Rationale of the Defense: Justification or Excuse?
  2. Common Law
  3. Model Penal Code
3. Intoxication
  1. Common Law: Voluntary Intoxication
  2. Model Penal Code: “Self–Induced” (Voluntary) Intoxication
  3. Involuntary Intoxication
4. Insanity
  1. Rationale of Defense
  2. The M’Naghten Test of Insanity
  3. The “Irresistible Impulse” (“Control”) Test of Insanity
  4. The “Product” (Durham) Test of Insanity
  5. Model Penal Code Test of Insanity
5. Diminished Capacity
  1. Putting “Diminished Capacity” in Context
  2. Diminished Capacity and Mens Rea
  3. Partial Responsibility
6. Entrapment
  1. Overview
  2. Subjective Test
  3. “Objective” Test
  4. Procedural Aspects of “Entrapment”
  5. Entrapment and the Due Process Clause
7. Review Questions
Part Eight: Inchoate Conduct
1. Attempt
  1. Common Law
  2. Model Penal Code
2. Conspiracy
  1. Common Law
  2. Model Penal Code
3. Solicitation
  1. General Principles
  2. Actus Reus
  3. Mens Rea
  4. Defense: Renunciation
4. Other Inchoate Offenses
  1. Assault
  2. Inchoate Offenses in Disguise
5. Review Questions
Part Nine: Complicity
1. Accomplice Liability: Common Law
  1. General Principles
  2. What Makes a Person an Accomplice: Assistance
  3. What Makes a Person an Accomplice: Mens Rea
  4. Accomplice Liability: If the Perpetrator Is Acquitted
  5. Perpetrator and Accomplice: Degrees of Guilt
  6. Special Defense: Legislative–Exemption Rule
2. Conspiracy Liability
  1. The Pinkerton Doctrine
3. Model Penal Code
  1. Forms of Complicity Liability
  2. What Makes a Person an Accomplice: Assistance
  3. What Makes a Person an Accomplice: Mens Rea
  4. Accomplice Liability: If the Perpetrator Is Acquitted
  5. Special Defenses
  6. Special Provision to Consider: Relationship of Accomplice Liability to Criminal Attempts
4. Review Questions
Part Ten: Criminal Homicide
1. Criminal Homicide: Overview
  1. “Homicide”
  2. “Human Being”
  3. Year–and–A–Day Rule
  4. A Brief Touch of History
2. Common Law: Murder
  1. Definition of “Murder”
  2. Murder: Intent to Kill
  3. Murder: Intent to Inflict Grievous Bodily Injury
  4. Murder: “Depraved Heart” (Extreme Recklessness)
  5. Felony–Murder Rule
3. Common Law: Manslaughter
  1. Manslaughter: General Principles
  2. Voluntary Manslaughter: Provocation (“Heat–of–Passion”)
  3. Involuntary Manslaughter: Criminal Negligence
  4. Involuntary Manslaughter: Unlawful–Act Doctrine
4. Model Penal Code
  1. Criminal Homicide: Overview
  2. Murder
  3. Manslaughter
  4. Negligent Homicide
5. Review Questions
Part Eleven: Rape
1. Common Law: Forcible Rape
  1. In General
  2. Actus Reus in Detail
  3. Mens Rea
2. Common Law: Rape by Nonforcible Means
  1. Statutory Rape
  2. Rape by Fraud
3. Model Penal Code
  1. Forcible Rape
  2. Other Forms of Rape
  3. Gross Sexual Imposition
4. Review Questions
Part Twelve: Theft
1. Larceny
  1. General Principles
  2. Actus Reus in Detail
  3. Mens Rea: “Intent to Steal”
  4. Special Problem: Lost or Mislaid Property
2. Embezzlement
  1. Elements of the Offense
  2. Larceny Versus Embezzlement
3. False Pretenses
  1. Elements of the Offense
4. Review Questions
Appendices
1. Answers to Review Questions
2. Sample Essay Questions
3. Answers to Essay Questions
4. Glossary
5. Table of Cases
6. Index