CHAPTER 7 - PRINCIPALS,
ACCESSORIES, AND ATTEMPT
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
Principal - Answers-A person directly involved with committing a crime, as opposed to
an accessory.
Accessory - Answers-A person who helps commit a crime without being present.
Accessory Before the Fact - Answers-A person who, without being present,
encourages, orders, or helps another to commit a crime.
Accessory After the Fact - Answers-A person who finds out that a crime has been
committed and helps to conceal the crime or the criminal.
Accomplice - Answers-A person who knowingly and voluntarily helps another person
commit or conceal a crime.
Conspiracy - Answers-A crime that may be committed when two or more people agree
to do something unlawful (or something lawful by unlawful means.) The agreement can
be inferred from the persons' actions. A person can be guilty or both conspiracy to
commit a crime and the crime itself.
Overt Act - Answers-An overt act in criminal law is more than mere preparation to do
something criminal; it is at least the first step of actually attempting the crime. The overt
act need not be unlawful to be the first step in such crimes as treason and criminal
conspiracy.
Wharton's Rule - Answers-Alson known as "Concert of Action Rule"; the rule that unless
a statute specificies otherwise, it is not a conspiracy for two persons to agree to commit
a crime if the defintion of the crime itself requries the partidcipation of two or more
persons.
Solicitation - Answers-Asking for; enticing; storngly requesting. This may be a crime if
the thing being urged is a crime.
Substantial Step - Answers-The legal test used to determine when a person has
crossed the line between non-criminal and criminal actions; in most situations a
"substantial step" consists of an act that makes the crime more likely than not.
Attempt - Answers-1. The act that goes beyond preparation, but which is not completed.
2. An effort to commit a crime that goes beyond preparation and that proceeds far
enough to make the person who did it guilty of an "attempt crime."
ACCESSORIES, AND ATTEMPT
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
Principal - Answers-A person directly involved with committing a crime, as opposed to
an accessory.
Accessory - Answers-A person who helps commit a crime without being present.
Accessory Before the Fact - Answers-A person who, without being present,
encourages, orders, or helps another to commit a crime.
Accessory After the Fact - Answers-A person who finds out that a crime has been
committed and helps to conceal the crime or the criminal.
Accomplice - Answers-A person who knowingly and voluntarily helps another person
commit or conceal a crime.
Conspiracy - Answers-A crime that may be committed when two or more people agree
to do something unlawful (or something lawful by unlawful means.) The agreement can
be inferred from the persons' actions. A person can be guilty or both conspiracy to
commit a crime and the crime itself.
Overt Act - Answers-An overt act in criminal law is more than mere preparation to do
something criminal; it is at least the first step of actually attempting the crime. The overt
act need not be unlawful to be the first step in such crimes as treason and criminal
conspiracy.
Wharton's Rule - Answers-Alson known as "Concert of Action Rule"; the rule that unless
a statute specificies otherwise, it is not a conspiracy for two persons to agree to commit
a crime if the defintion of the crime itself requries the partidcipation of two or more
persons.
Solicitation - Answers-Asking for; enticing; storngly requesting. This may be a crime if
the thing being urged is a crime.
Substantial Step - Answers-The legal test used to determine when a person has
crossed the line between non-criminal and criminal actions; in most situations a
"substantial step" consists of an act that makes the crime more likely than not.
Attempt - Answers-1. The act that goes beyond preparation, but which is not completed.
2. An effort to commit a crime that goes beyond preparation and that proceeds far
enough to make the person who did it guilty of an "attempt crime."
