Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Art and part refers to aiding or contributing to the commission of a crime. It means being involved in the crime by assisting, advising, or participating in it. In Scots law, it is considered as participation in or encouragement of a crime, which makes the person guilty of the crime. This term is used to describe the level of involvement in a crime, and it is treated equally for all participants.
Definition: Art and part is a legal term used in English and Scots law to describe aiding or contributing to the commission of a crime. It refers to the act of assisting, advising, or participating in a crime, which makes the person guilty of the crime.
Examples:
These examples illustrate how a person can be guilty of a crime even if they did not commit the crime themselves. In the first example, the lookout helped the burglars by keeping watch while they committed the crime. In the second example, the baker provided the means for the prisoner to escape, making them guilty of the crime.
It is important to note that in Scots law, there is no distinction between degrees of participation in a crime. All participants are treated as principal offenders, and indictments charge the accused as "actor or art and part." This means that anyone who aids or contributes to a crime is equally guilty of the crime.