Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Criminal desertion is when someone willfully and without a good reason abandons their duties or obligations, such as military service or taking care of their family. In family law, spousal desertion happens when one spouse stops living with the other for a certain amount of time, intends to abandon them, and doesn't have the other spouse's consent. Constructive desertion is when one spouse's bad behavior forces the other to leave the home. Criminal desertion is when one spouse fails to take care of the other spouse who is sick or in need.
Definition: Criminal desertion refers to the willful and unjustified abandonment of a person's duties or obligations, especially to military service or to a spouse or family. It is also known as gross neglect of duty. In family law, spousal desertion involves five elements: cessation of cohabitation, lapse of a statutory period, intention to abandon, lack of consent from the abandoned spouse, and lack of spousal misconduct that might justify the abandonment.
Examples:
The examples illustrate that criminal desertion involves a willful and unjustified abandonment of one's duties or obligations, which can have serious consequences for the affected parties. In the case of spousal desertion, it can lead to the breakdown of the marriage and legal action such as divorce. In the case of military desertion, it can result in disciplinary action and criminal charges.