Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: ferdingus
The coconspirator's exception is a rule that allows statements made by one member of a conspiracy to be used as evidence against another member of the same conspiracy, even if the statement was made when the defendant was not present. This exception only applies if the statement was made during and in furtherance of the conspiracy.
The coconspirator's exception is a legal rule that allows the acts and statements of one member of a conspiracy to be used as evidence against another member of the same conspiracy, even if the statements were made in the absence of the defendant. This exception is used in court to prove that a defendant was involved in a conspiracy with others.
For example, if two people are accused of robbing a bank together, and one of them makes a statement to a third party about their plan to rob the bank, that statement can be used as evidence against both defendants in court. This is because the statement was made in furtherance of the conspiracy and helps to prove that both defendants were involved in the crime.
Another example could be if a group of people are accused of drug trafficking, and one member of the group is caught with a large amount of drugs. The statements and actions of the other members of the group can be used as evidence against the defendant who was caught, even if those statements were made in private and the defendant was not present.