The public authority defense may arise when a defendant claims that allegedly criminal conduct was authorized by a government official. It reflects the principle that individuals should not be punished for actions they reasonably believed…
Solicitation of a minor is a serious criminal allegation that may be charged even when no physical contact occurs. As an inchoate offense, it focuses on prohibited intent and conduct directed toward persuading, inducing, or…
A Terry frisk is a limited pat-down search conducted by police when specific, articulable facts support a reasonable belief that a person is armed and dangerous. It occupies a carefully defined space within Fourth Amendment…
The advice of counsel defense may arise when a defendant acted after seeking and relying on legal guidance. In appropriate criminal cases, such reliance can bear directly on whether the defendant possessed the intent required…
Solicitation of prostitution is commonly prosecuted as an inchoate offense, meaning criminal liability may arise before any commercial sexual act occurs. The focus is often on what was said, intended, and proposed rather than on…
A Terry stop is a brief investigative detention that permits police officers to address specific, articulable suspicions of criminal activity without making an arrest. Its constitutional limits arise from the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable…
In criminal law, the prosecution must generally prove that the accused acted with the required criminal intent. A good faith defense may challenge that element by showing an honest belief, mistake, or reliance on information…
Solicitation of murder is a serious inchoate offense that may be charged before any attempted killing occurs. The law focuses on the alleged request, encouragement, or inducement of another person to commit an unlawful homicide.…
Anonymous tips can place law enforcement at a constitutional crossroads: they may reveal genuine danger, yet their unknown source raises serious reliability concerns. In search and seizure law, anonymous tip probable cause depends on more…
A claim of right defense may arise when a person takes or uses property under an honest belief that they have a legal entitlement to it. In theft-related prosecutions, that belief can directly affect whether…