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Simple English definitions for legal terms
furor brevis
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A quick definition of furor brevis:
Furor Brevis: A sudden burst of intense anger, fear, or hatred caused by something someone else said or did. This strong emotion can sometimes be used as a defense in court to reduce a murder charge to manslaughter. It means that the person acted out of passion rather than reason, but they still knew what they were doing.
A more thorough explanation:
Furor brevis, also known as heat of passion, refers to a sudden and intense feeling of rage, terror, or hatred that is provoked by someone's words or actions. This strong emotional response can lead to impulsive and violent behavior.
Under common law, if a person commits a crime in the heat of passion, it can be considered a mitigating circumstance that may reduce a murder charge to manslaughter.
For example, if someone walks in on their spouse cheating and immediately kills the other person, they may be able to argue that they acted in the heat of passion and did not have the intent to commit murder.
However, it is important to note that the heat of passion must be extreme enough to temporarily override a person's ability to reason and make them act impulsively.
Overall, furor brevis is a legal concept that recognizes the powerful and often unpredictable nature of human emotions and their potential impact on criminal behavior.