- Criminal Law Summary Notes!

What's in the Criminal Law Summary Notes?

Table of Contents for Criminal Law Summary Notes

1.  Introduction. 5

A.   How to use Cram Notes. 5

2.  Background ¡V Do the components of the Criminal Offence exist? 5

A.   Actus Reus. 5

i.        Is there an Act or an Omission?. 5

ii.       Was there Voluntariness?. 5

iii.      Consider the Circumstances & Consequence. 6

B.   Mens rea. 6

i.        Subjective vs objective. 6

ii.       Absolute vs strict liability. 7

iii.      Presumption of mens rea in statute. 7

iv.      Was there Intention?. 8

v.       Was there Recklessness or Malice?. 8

vi.      Was there Criminal negligence?. 9

vii.     Was there Wilful Blindness?. 9

viii.     As to Circumstances?. 9

C.   Is there coincidence of actus reus and mens rea?. 9

D.   What is the burden of proof? Is it made out?. 9

3.  What Criminal Offence did the accused allegedly commit? 10

A.   Homicide. 10

i.        Murder 10

1)     Intent to kill or inflict grievous bodily harm.. 10

2)     Reckless indifference. 10

3)     Constructive murder 11

ii.       Manslaughter 11

1)     By unlawful act 11

2)     By criminal negligence. 12

3)     Homicide by omission. 13

iii.      Causation. 13

B.   Assault 14

i.        Elements of assault 14

ii.       Apprehension of violence. 14

iii.      Application of force. 15

iv.      Aggravated assault 15

C.   Sexual assault 15

D.   Indecent assault 17

E.   Act of indecency. 17

F.    Dishonest acquisition.. 18

i.        Larceny. 18

ii.       Robbery. 20

iii.      Obtaining Money or Property by deception. 20

iv.      False Pretence. 21

G.   Drugs. 22

i.        Terminology. 22

ii.       Summary Offences. 22

1)     Possession. 22

2)     Awareness. 23

3)     Minute quantities. 23

iii.      Indictable Offences. 23

1)     Prohibited drugs and plants. 23

2)     Supply. 24

H.   Public Order Offences. 26

i.        Public Places. 26

ii.       Offensive Behaviour and Language. 26

iii.      Public Assemblies. 27

iv.      Riot and Affray. 28

4.  Was the Accused part of a Criminal Group? 28

A.   Did the accused assist before the crime was committed?. 28

i.        Attempt 28

ii.       Conspiracy. 29

1)     Existence of the agreement 30

2)     Intent to perform unlawful act 30

3)     Intent to agree to perform act as a group (Giorgianni) 30

4)     Scope of agreement 30

5)     Impossible conspiracies. 30

B.   Did the accused assist after the crime was committed?. 30

i.        Complicity. 30

ii.       Joint Criminal Enterprise (JCE) 31

1)     Principals in the first degree. 31

2)     Doctrine of Common Purpose. 32

iii.      Accessorial Liability (Principals in the Second Degree) 32

C.   Incitement 34

5.  What Defences are available to the Accused? 34

A.   Mental Illness (Insanity / Insane Automatism) 34

B.   Automatism (Sane Automatism) 35

C.   Provocation.. 36

i.        Provoking Circumstance. 36

ii.       Ordinary Person test 37

iii.      Loss of Self Control 37

D.   Substantial Impairment 37

E.   Intoxication.. 38

i.        Self Induced Intoxication - Murder 38

ii.       Self Induced Intoxication - Manslaughter 38

iii.      Self Induced Intoxication - Specific Intent Offences (e.g. assault) 38

iv.      Not self-induced intoxication. 39

F.    Self-Defence. 39

G.   Voluntariness. 39

6.  Defects in the Criminal Process. 39

A.   Was there a Miscarriage of Justice?. 39

B.   Was there a Fair Trial? Was the accused¡¦s conviction Constitutional?. 40

i.        Trial By Jury. 40

1)     Kingswell (1985) 40

2)     Cheatle (1993) 40

ii.       Preventative Detention. 40

1)     Kable v DPP (NSW) (1996) 40

7.  Themes to be explored in Essay Questions. 40

A.   Discretion in criminal processes and the judicial system... 40

B.   The two tiered justice system... 41

C.   Pre-trial process. 42

i.        The role of the police. 42

ii.       The role of the prosecutor 42

iii.      Guilty pleas & Plea Bargaining. 42

D.   Technocratic Justice. 42

i.        Crime control model 42

ii.       Due process model 43