Law Commons^™

What Does Intent Mean?, David Crump

David Crump

Intent sounds as though it has a clear meaning. But it does not. Sometimes it is defined strictly, so as to require purpose: a conscious desire on the part of the actor to bring about the result. Sometimes it is a lesser standard, requiring knowledge that the result is likely to happen. Sometimes intent is defined in a way that corresponds, really, to recklessness or negligence, requiring only an awareness of some possibility of a harmful result. Some courts have even said that objective blameworthiness is sufficient to constitute intent, implying that no mental state at all is required. Some …