Criminal Law Case Briefs

Criminal law is a foundational 1L course that examines the principles underlying criminal liability, punishment, and defenses. Students learn the elements of crimes — actus reus (the guilty act) and mens rea (the guilty mind) — and explore how different mental states, from purposeful intent to criminal negligence, determine the grade of an offense. The course also covers the Model Penal Code framework alongside common-law rules, giving students two analytical lenses for every problem.

The cases below span the core criminal law curriculum. Commonwealth v. Malone examines implied malice in homicide. People v. Conley illustrates intent versus knowledge for assault. People v. Goetz explores the boundaries of self-defense and the reasonable-belief standard. On inchoate crimes, People v. Rizzo tests the proximity approach to attempt, while People v. Jaffe addresses legal versus factual impossibility. In re Winship establishes the beyond-a-reasonable-doubt standard for criminal cases.

Each brief follows standard law-school format — procedural posture, facts, issue, holding, and reasoning — to help you prepare for cold calls, build your outline, and review for exams. Use these alongside our AI tools to strengthen your understanding of homicide gradations, justification and excuse defenses, accomplice liability, and the policies that shape criminal punishment.