Legal Definitions - conatus

Conatus refers to an attempt or an effort made towards committing an act, particularly a criminal offense. Historically, this term emphasized the intent and initial steps taken towards an illegal act, even if the act itself was not fully completed.

Here are some examples to illustrate the concept of conatus:

• Example 1: Attempted Theft

  A person is observed trying to pry open the door of a parked car with a screwdriver, clearly intending to steal items from inside. Before they can successfully open the door or take anything, a police officer intervenes and apprehends them. In this scenario, the act of attempting to force the car door open with the intent to steal constitutes conatus towards theft, even though no property was actually taken.

• Example 2: Attempted Arson

  An individual pours gasoline around the base of an abandoned building and lights a match, intending to set the structure on fire. However, a sudden gust of wind extinguishes the match before any flames can ignite the gasoline. The act of preparing the accelerant and attempting to ignite it, with the clear intent to cause a fire, demonstrates conatus towards arson, despite the fire not actually starting.

• Example 3: Attempted Robbery

  A masked person enters a convenience store, brandishes a replica firearm, and demands money from the cashier. Before the cashier can hand over any cash, a silent alarm is triggered, and the individual flees the scene without obtaining any money. The actions of entering the store, displaying a weapon, and making a demand for money, all with the intent to commit robbery, represent conatus, even though the robbery was not completed.