Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: cum molendinis et multuris
Simple larceny is when someone takes something that belongs to someone else without permission and intends to keep it for themselves. It is a crime because it is against the law to take things that do not belong to you. Simple larceny does not involve any violence or other bad behavior, it is just taking something that is not yours.
Definition: Simple larceny is the act of unlawfully taking someone else's personal property with the intention of keeping it permanently.
For example, if someone steals a bike from someone's front yard without their permission, that would be considered simple larceny. Another example would be if someone takes a wallet from someone's purse without their knowledge or consent.
These examples illustrate the definition because in both cases, someone is taking property that does not belong to them without permission and with the intention of keeping it for themselves.