Definition of mens rea
: criminal intent
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Recent Examples of mens rea from the Web
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Most significantly, the government contends that Lee had the necessary mens rea — the criminal-intent element — to commit the felony retention offense.
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Reimer said when asked about concerns that mens rea reform would help companies evade regulatory charges.
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This time mens rea reform proponents have gone out of their way to enlist the support of left-leaning criminal-defense attorneys.
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The office of Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, another Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said any mens rea reform would need to be narrowly tailored, not comprehensive and retroactive.
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Origin and Etymology of mens rea
New Latin, literally, guilty mind
Law Dictionary
noun
\
ˈmenz-ˈrē-ə, -ˈrā-
\
legal Definition of mens rea
plural mentes reae
\ˈmen-ˌtēz-ˈrē-ˌē, ˈmen-ˌtās-ˈrā-ˌī\
: a culpable mental state;
especially
: one involving intent or knowledge and forming an element of a criminal offense
- murder contains a mens rea element
Origin and Etymology of mens rea
New Latin, literally, guilty mind
Learn More about mens rea
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See words that rhyme with mens rea Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mens rea
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