2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED
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⫸ What is case law? Answer: Case law is based on previous appellate
court decisions that have become binding on lower court decisions.
⫸ What does the letter of the law refer to? Answer: The letter of the law
refers to the strict application of the law according to its literal meaning.
⫸ What does the spirit of the law mean? Answer: The spirit of the law
refers to applying the law according to the intent of the legislature,
promoting fairness and justice.
⫸ What is the difference between criminal law and civil law? Answer:
Criminal law involves violations of criminal statutes that are public
wrongs against the state, while civil law involves private wrongs
between individuals.
⫸ What are the potential punishments for violating criminal law?
Answer: Punishments can include death, incarceration, fines, removal
from office, or disqualification from holding office.
,⫸ What is a tort? Answer: A tort is a civil wrong committed by one
person against another, for which the injured party may seek
compensation.
⫸ What constitutes a crime according to statutory definition? Answer:
A crime can result in death, imprisonment, fines, removal from office, or
disqualification from holding office.
⫸ What are the basic elements common to all crimes? Answer: The
basic facts that must be proven by the prosecution to sustain a
conviction.
⫸ What is required to prove an attempt to commit a crime? Answer:
Intent, which is a mental state that the person knowingly did the criminal
act.
⫸ What is general intent? Answer: General intent can be presumed and
includes crimes like arson and battery.
⫸ What is specific intent? Answer: Specific intent must be proven and
includes crimes like burglary and kidnapping for ransom.
⫸ What is transferred intent? Answer: Transferred intent occurs when
an unlawful act affects a person other than the intended victim.
, ⫸ What is the difference between criminal intent and criminal
negligence? Answer: Criminal intent involves a purposeful action, while
criminal negligence is the failure to exercise ordinary care.
⫸ What are the three classes of crime? Answer: 1. Felony: punishable
by a fine and/or imprisonment in state prison. 2. Misdemeanor: lesser
crime punishable by a fine and/or county jail time. 3. Infraction:
punishable by a fine only.
⫸ Who are principals in a crime? Answer: Principals are those who
directly commit a crime or aid, abet, advise, or encourage another in
committing a crime.
⫸ What are accessories in a crime? Answer: Accessories are individuals
who, with knowledge of a felony, harbor, aid, or conceal a principal to
avoid arrest or prosecution.
⫸ What are accomplices? Answer: Accomplices are principals to the
crime who testify for the prosecution.
⫸ Who is legally incapable of committing a crime? Answer: Children
under 14, mentally incapacitated persons, and those acting under
ignorance, mistake of fact, or threat.
⫸ What does the Fourth Amendment protect? Answer: The Fourth
Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.