mens rea
noun
ˈmenz-ˈrē-ə 
-ˈrā-ə
: criminal intent
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Imagine applying mens rea to the bloodiest tyrants of modern history. 
Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 22 June 2022 Conservative jurisprudence tends to favor mens rea requirements for businesspeople charged with crimes. Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 25 Feb. 2022 In the law, this is the highest mens rea proof requirement. Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 18 Aug. 2020 ANONYMOUS Wrongdoing generally requires two elements: a guilty act, actus reus, and a guilty mind, mens rea. Philip Galanes, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2018 Most significantly, the government contends that Lee had the necessary mens rea — the criminal-intent element — to commit the felony retention offense. Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 17 Jan. 2018 Reimer said when asked about concerns that mens rea reform would help companies evade regulatory charges. Matt Ford, The Atlantic, 26 Oct. 2017 This time mens rea reform proponents have gone out of their way to enlist the support of left-leaning criminal-defense attorneys. Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, 26 Oct. 2017 The office of Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, another Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said any mens rea reform would need to be narrowly tailored, not comprehensive and retroactive. Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, 26 Oct. 2017 See More
Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 22 June 2022 Conservative jurisprudence tends to favor mens rea requirements for businesspeople charged with crimes. Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 25 Feb. 2022 In the law, this is the highest mens rea proof requirement. Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 18 Aug. 2020 ANONYMOUS Wrongdoing generally requires two elements: a guilty act, actus reus, and a guilty mind, mens rea. Philip Galanes, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2018 Most significantly, the government contends that Lee had the necessary mens rea — the criminal-intent element — to commit the felony retention offense. Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 17 Jan. 2018 Reimer said when asked about concerns that mens rea reform would help companies evade regulatory charges. Matt Ford, The Atlantic, 26 Oct. 2017 This time mens rea reform proponents have gone out of their way to enlist the support of left-leaning criminal-defense attorneys. Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, 26 Oct. 2017 The office of Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, another Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said any mens rea reform would need to be narrowly tailored, not comprehensive and retroactive. Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, 26 Oct. 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
New Latin, literally, guilty mind
First Known Use
1861, in the meaning defined above
Legal Definition
mens rea
noun
ˈmenz-ˈrē-ə, -ˈrā-
plural mentes reae
ˈmen-ˌtēz-ˈrē-ˌē, ˈmen-ˌtās-ˈrā-ˌī
: a culpable mental state
especially : one involving intent or knowledge and forming an element of a criminal offense
murder contains a mens rea element
compare actus reus - holy place
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