Legal Terminology Chapter 12

dangerous weapon

An item that is, from the way it is used, capable of causing death or serious bodily injury. Also called deadly weapon.

lesser included offense

a crime that contains some, but not all, elements of a greater offense, making it impossible to commit the greater offense without also committing the lesser offense

dwelling house

a house in which the occupier and family usually reside, including all outbuildings within the curtilage

Aggravated Assault

an assault committed with the intention of committing some additional crime

Attempted arson

an attempt to commit the crime of arson, but falling short of its commission

restraining order

an order forbidding a person from doing a particular act

sexual assault

any unwanted sexual contact

burglary

at common law, the breaking and entering of a dwelling house of another, in the nighttine, with intent to commit a felony

rape

at common law, the unlawful, forcible carnal knowledge by a man of a woman against her will or without her consent

mayhem

at common law, violently depriving others of the use of such members as may render them less able in fighting

statutory burglary

burglary that does not contain all of the elements of common law burglury

convicted

found guilty of a crime

battery

intentional contact with another person without that person's permission and without justification. the unlawful application of force to another person

threat of force

intimidation designed to put someone in fear that he or she will be the victim of violence; equivalent to force

rape shield laws

laws passed to help prevent rape victims from being victimized

summarily

quickly

statutory rape

sexual intercourse with a child under the age set by state statute regardless of whether the child consented or not. Also called unlawful sexual intercourse

carnal knowledge

sexual intercourse; the slightest penetration of the sexual organ of the woman by the sexual organ of the man

domestic violence

the abuse of a closely related person such as a present or former spouse or cohabitant

statutory arson

the burning of a building other than a dwelling house or the burning of one's own house to collect insurance

curtilage

the enclosed space of ground and buildings immediately surrounding a dwelling house

breaking

the first part of "breaking and entering" which traditionally has meant using some method to wrongfully gain entrance into a house or other occupiable structure by force, including breaking a window or picking a lock

Assault

the intentional creation of a reasonable apprehension of an imminent batter. An attempt to commit a battery

nighttime

the time between one hour after sunset on one day and one hour before sunrise on the next day

Arson

the willful and malicious burning of the dwelling house of another

stalking

the willful, malicious, and repeated following, harrassing, and threatening of another person, intended to place the person in fear of death or serious bodily injury

robbery

the wrongful taking and carrying away of the personal property of another, from the other's person or personal custody, against his or her will, by force or violence

maim

to cripple or mutilate in any way

cyber-bullying

using the Internet to malign or threaten someone

cyber-stalking

using the Internet to put another person in fear for their or their loved one's safety or life

cyber-harrassment

using the Internet to repeatedly interfere with someones life