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Criminal Law

This library guide was created to assist J.D. students in Criminal Law at NSU Shepard Broad College of Law, organizing online resources made available by the law library.

Criminal Law Library Guide

Welcome to the Criminal Law Library Guide designed to assist J.D. students in mastering course material. This guide offers a comprehensive collection of resources including case briefs, outlines, study aids/hornbooks, practice multiple-choice questions, practice essay questions, and CALI lessons. Additionally, you'll find multimedia resources such as video and audio content.

Class Preparation

The following resources are study aids that provide case briefs keyed to specific casebooks:

West Academic Study Aids

Aspen Learning Library

Quimbee

  • Click here to find case briefs keyed to your specific casebook

CALI Lessons

The CALI Criminal Law Outline allows you to search for terms of art that correspond to topics you are studying to find suggestions for related CALI Lessons. The CALI Criminal Law Index lists all CALI Lessons covering Torts. 

CALI Lessons: Criminal Law

Overview

  • Punishment Theories
  • Sources of Criminal Law
  • Constitutional Limitations: Legality
  • Constitutional Limitations: 8th Amendment
  • Presumption of Innocence (Burden of Proof and Presumptions)

Requirements of a Crime

  • Actus Reus
  • Omissions
  • Mens Rea: Purpose
  • Mens Rea: Knowledge
  • Mens Rea: Recklessness
  • Mens Rea: Negligence
  • Mistake Under the Model Penal Code: Mistake as to Elements of Offenses
  • Mistake Under the Model Penal Code: Mistake as to Defenses 
  • Mistake as to the Law Defining the Offense
  • Causation
  • Concurrence 

Defenses and Affirmative Defenses

  • Justification Defenses: Excuse Defenses Distinguished 
  • Duress, Entrapment, Mistake
  • Insanity and Infancy
  • Self-Defense
  • Defense of Others
  • Duty to Retreat
  • Consent

Inchoate Crimes

  • The Mens Rea of Attempts
  • Accomplice Liability: Mens Rea
  • Accomplice Liability: Actus Reus Requirement
  • Suspendatur!

Parties to Crime

  • Accomplice Liability: Definitional Issues
  • Accomplice Liability: Mens Rea
  • Accomplice Liability: Actus Reus Requirement

Homicide

  • Introduction to Homicide
  • Homicide (Causation)
  • Homicide Causation - Part 2
  • Homicide (Defining Death and Life)
  • Homicide (Murder)
  • Homicide (Murder by Degrees)
  • Homicide (Unlawful Act Manslaughter)
  • Homicide (Involuntary Manslaughter)
  • Homicide (Felony Murder)

 

Video Resources

West Academic Study Aids

Aspen Learning Library

Quimbee

  • The Quimbee Criminal Law Course covers the law of crimes and the criminal justice system, including the criminal act and the mental element in crime, consideration of specific offenses as defined by statute and the common law, and discussion of typical defenses.