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Simple English definitions for legal terms

intent

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A quick definition of intent:

Intent refers to the reason why someone does something. In criminal law, it is important to prove intent in order to convict someone of a crime. There are different types of intent, such as general and specific, and they require different levels of proof. In contracts and administrative law, intent is also important in determining the meaning of agreements and laws.

A more thorough explanation:

Intent refers to the reason behind an action. In criminal law, it is the mental objective behind a crime. It is proven by circumstantial evidence such as the acts or knowledge of the defendant. Criminal intent, also known as mens rea, is one of two elements that must be proven in order to secure a conviction. The other element is the actual act, or actus reus.

For example, if someone intentionally steals something, their intent is to take something that does not belong to them. In this case, the prosecution must prove that the defendant intended to steal the item.

Intent can be classified into general and specific. General intent corresponds loosely with knowledge of a crime, while specific intent refers to the purpose behind committing it. Drawing this distinction is important because they carry different standards of proof. For general intent, the prosecution only needs to prove that the defendant intended to do the act in question. For specific intent, the prosecution must prove that the defendant intended to bring about a specific consequence through their actions or that they performed the action with a wrongful purpose.

For example, if someone intentionally kills another person, their intent is to take the victim's life. In this case, the prosecution must prove that the defendant intended to kill the victim. However, if someone accidentally kills another person while driving under the influence of alcohol, their intent is not to take the victim's life. In this case, the prosecution must prove that the defendant acted recklessly and knew that their actions could result in harm to others.

Intent is also important in contracts. Courts find the objective intent of the parties by looking to the language used in the contract when it was formed. If the language of the contract is ambiguous, courts can consider extrinsic evidence when determining the intent of the parties.

For example, if two parties enter into a contract to sell a car, the intent is for one party to sell the car to the other party. If the contract is unclear about the price of the car, the court may consider evidence such as emails or text messages exchanged between the parties to determine the intent of the contract.

In administrative law, courts have the authority to determine legislative intent for the purposes of statutory construction. In doing so, courts primarily look to the language of the statute as understood when codified. Courts also consider circumstances under which the statute was enacted, purpose, and legislative history.

For example, if a statute is unclear about whether it applies to a certain type of business, the court may consider the purpose of the statute and the legislative history to determine whether the statute applies to that business.

intended beneficiary | intent to levy

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WTF
12:09
need to send in my berkeley app rawwwww
BulbasaurNoLikeCardio
12:09
@ChowieBean: should be required to tell them, the schools who asked I only told them the schools in their area not all of them.
BulbasaurNoLikeCardio
12:10
*shouldnt be
12:12
@jackfrost11770: if i get a berk A today and they have that logo im withdrawing (/s /s /s /j /j /j)
babycat
12:12
@ChowieBean: me too lol. you applying to public interest scholars program?
12:14
yes def applying public interest
12:16
i was raised like blocks away from umiami
12:16
idk if i wanna go back to florida tho so im applying there as safety/target 💀
12:25
@ChowieBean: doing the same thing
Does anyone think au gonna get back to us today
My app was complete Oct 11
If yes what time
Dkk
12:29
Sure, yes! 11:22:24 PST
ClassyPleasantHeron
12:30
I wonder if Berk was updating their system so that they could watch more video.
1a2b3c4d26z
12:41
They updated it so they could watch my video one trillion times
brookyln law portal just added person id and application id for me, what does it mean??
Dkk
12:52
@VolatileClumsyAcolyte: well someone got an A so maybe an A
just checked the reddit, apparently it means nothing..
HAPPY FRIDAY HAPPY UCLA DAY
what time would they release cuz west coast
BulbasaurNoLikeCardio
12:54
I hate that Vanderbilts portal gives no status
HopefullyInLawSchool
12:54
@VolatileClumsyAcolyte: did you apply YM to Brooklyn?
JumpySubsequentDolphin
12:57
@SplitterusClitterus: THEY BETTER HAVE AN A WAVE TODAYYY
glovediedthisishismom
12:57
kendrick lamar
glovediedthisishismom
12:57
album
JumpySubsequentDolphin
12:57
I think usually they release at like 1ish?
JumpySubsequentDolphin
12:57
@glovediedthisishismom: GNXXXX
babycat
12:59
I heard if you apply YM at Brooklyn specifically it’s the equivalent of like a 5 LSAT point boost
HopefullyInLawSchool
13:00
^^^^This
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