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Casebook Read Credits
Criminal Law
Section 2 . 1
half an hour

The Actus Reus Requirement

Sam Kamin,
Dana Lindenberg

Actus reus, or the act requirement, is the first component of culpability in criminal law. (You will meet the second part, mens rea, in the next section.) In short the actus reus requirement assures us that we cannot be punished for our thoughts alone. We must act, and act voluntarily, before criminal punishment may be imposed.

These cases introduce you to the act requirement. Notice distinctions between voluntary and involuntary acts, and between acts and omissions (failures to act). Consider why the court reaches the decision it does in each case, and what its decision says about when a defendant may properly be punished for her conduct.

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