The legal justifications that a person can use to avoid criminal liability, such as self-defense, duress, and insanity.
Insanity Defense: This defense asserts that the defendant lacked the mental capacity to understand the nature of their actions.
Self-Defense: A person who uses force against another person in reasonable self-defense is not guilty of an offense.
Coercion and Duress: This defense asserts that the accused committed the offense under extreme pressure or threat.
Mistake of Fact: This defense implies that the defendant believed they were entitled to behave a certain way.
Intoxication Defense: This defense asserts that the accused was in an altered state of mind due to intoxication or drug use and was unable to form the necessary intent required to commit the crime.
Consent Defense: This defense asserts that the alleged victim consented to the behavior that led to the crime.
Entrapment Defense: This defense claims that the accused was induced by law enforcement officials to commit a crime that they would not have otherwise committed.
Statute of Limitations Defense: This defense implies that the amount of time between the crime and prosecution is outside the statutory guidelines.
Alibi Defense: This defense asserts that the defendant could not have been present at the time and location of the alleged crime.
Mistake of Law: A person who misunderstands the law or law enforcement’s actions can use this defense.
Justification Defense: This defense claims that the accused committed the crime to avoid a much greater harm.
Necessity Defense: This defense asserts that the accused committed the crime because they had no other option to save themselves or others.
Diminished Capacity Defense: This defense implies that the defendant's mental state or capacity was affected in a way that reduces criminal responsibility.
Illegal Evidence: Stating that the evidence collected against the accused was obtained in a way that violates the law, the Constitution, or the due process.
Lesser Included Offense: The defense may attempt to prove that the defendant committed a less severe crime than what they are accused of.
Alibi Defense: An alibi defense involves the defendant claiming that they were not physically present at the scene of the crime at the time it occurred.
Affirmative Defense: An affirmative defense is a defense that admits the defendant committed the crime but argues that the defendant should not be held responsible for it due to certain circumstances.
Consent Defense: A consent defense involves the defendant claiming that the alleged victim consented to the actions that led to the criminal charge.
Duress/Coercion Defense: A duress or coercion defense involves the defendant claiming that they were forced to commit the crime by someone else.
Entrapment Defense: An entrapment defense involves the defendant claiming that law enforcement officials induced them to commit the crime.
Insanity Defense: An insanity defense involves the defendant claiming that they were not mentally stable enough to understand that their actions were criminal.
Intoxication Defense: An intoxication defense involves the defendant claiming that they were under the influence of drugs or alcohol and, as a result, did not have the mental capacity to commit the crime.
Justification Defense: A justification defense involves the defendant claiming that their actions were necessary to prevent greater harm.
Mistake of Fact Defense: A mistake of fact defense involves the defendant claiming that they did not have information required to know that their actions were illegal.
Necessity Defense: A necessity defense involves the defendant claiming that they committed the crime to prevent serious harm to themselves or others.
Self-Defense Defense: A self-defense defense involves the defendant claiming that their actions were necessary to protect themselves from harm.
Statute of Limitations Defense: A statute of limitations defense involves the defendant claiming that the prosecution waited too long to bring charges against them.