Law I / Negligence and Omission
Practice question · Multiple choice

Preterintentionality involves intending a lesser harm whilst causing a greater one. How does the criminal law resolve this conflict in the structure of the offence?

Hints
  1. Can one mental state cover two distinct consequences with different degrees of foresight?
  2. How does the legal system avoid either under-punishing the initial aggression or over-punishing the unintended harm?
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C. By imputing intent to the base act and negligence to the outcome

Why

Preterintentionality is not a single unified intent that absorbs the outcome, nor is it reduced entirely to negligence. Concurrence rules apply separate standards of liability to the initial conduct and the unintended consequence, preventing disproportionate outcomes.

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