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Quizzes > Society & Culture > Politics & Civics

Put Your Criminal Law Knowledge to the Test

Ready for criminal law multiple choice questions? Challenge yourself here!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for criminal law knowledge quiz on teal background

Ready to challenge your understanding of crime, punishment, and legal principles? Dive into our free online question for criminal law, designed to test and sharpen your expertise with criminal law multiple choice questions and criminal law test questions and answers that cover key concepts. Whether you're prepping for an exam or brushing up your skills, this criminal law quiz offers a mix of practical scenarios and insightful explanations. Curious how you'll score? Click through to our interactive Criminal Law Quiz and explore more criminal justice questions to level up your learning. Take the test and see where you stand today!

What term describes the physical act or unlawful omission that constitutes part of a crime?
Mens rea
Actus reus
Habeas corpus
Stare decisis
Actus reus refers to the external element of a crime—the physical act or failure to act that the law prohibits. It must be voluntary and is distinct from mens rea, which is the mental element. Without actus reus, there can be no criminal liability. Cornell LII on Actus Reus
Which of the following best describes "mens rea" in criminal law?
The guilty act
The mental intent or state
The sentencing phase
The trial procedure
Mens rea is the mental state or intent required for a crime. It distinguishes different levels of culpability such as purpose, knowledge, recklessness, or negligence. Both actus reus and mens rea are required to establish most crimes. Cornell LII on Mens Rea
What is the standard burden of proof required for a conviction in a criminal trial?
Preponderance of the evidence
Clear and convincing evidence
Beyond a reasonable doubt
Probable cause
In criminal cases, the prosecution must prove each element of the charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt. This is the highest standard of proof in the U.S. legal system, reflecting the severe consequences of conviction. Lower standards apply in civil cases. Cornell LII on Burden of Proof
Which type of crime imposes liability without requiring proof of a guilty intent?
Attempt
Strict liability
Conspiracy
Solicitation
Strict liability offenses do not require proof of mens rea; liability attaches solely based on the prohibited act. They are common in public welfare regulations such as traffic offenses or food safety laws. The rationale is to encourage compliance and protect public health and safety. Cornell LII on Strict Liability
Under which legal principle is a defendant presumed innocent until proven guilty?
Res ipsa loquitur
Presumption of innocence
Double jeopardy
Ex post facto
The presumption of innocence is a fundamental principle in criminal law requiring the prosecution to prove guilt. It ensures that defendants need not prove their own innocence. If reasonable doubt remains, the jury must acquit. Cornell LII on Presumption of Innocence
Which offense involves the unlawful killing of another person without malice aforethought?
First-degree murder
Involuntary manslaughter
Burglary
Battery
Involuntary manslaughter is an unintentional killing that occurs without malice aforethought, often during the commission of a non-felony or through criminal negligence. It contrasts with murder, which requires malice. Cornell LII on Manslaughter
Which inchoate offense is committed when a person takes a substantial step toward the commission of a crime but does not complete it?
Conspiracy
Solicitation
Attempt
Accessory
Attempt requires proof that the defendant intended to commit a crime and took a substantial step toward its completion. It is punishable even if the substantive crime is not carried out. Cornell LII on Attempt
Which crime involves taking property directly from a person by force or threat?
Larceny
Embezzlement
Robbery
Burglary
Robbery is the taking of property from a person or presence by force or threat of force. It combines elements of theft (larceny) with assault. Cornell LII on Robbery
Under the M'Naghten rule, which factor must a defendant prove to assert the insanity defense?
They could not resist impulses
They did not know the nature or wrongfulness of their act
They suffered from diminished capacity
They were under extreme emotional disturbance
The M'Naghten rule requires proof that a mental disease prevented the defendant from knowing the nature or wrongfulness of the act. It is one of the most common insanity tests in U.S. jurisdictions. Cornell LII on M'Naghten Rule
Which of the following is NOT generally required for a claim of self-defense?
Reasonable belief of danger
Imminent threat of harm
Proportional response
Duty to retreat in all jurisdictions
Most jurisdictions allow self-defense without a duty to retreat when the defender is in their home (the castle doctrine). Only some states impose a duty to retreat under certain conditions. Cornell LII on Self-Defense
Under the common law felony-murder rule, a death occurring during which circumstance can result in a murder charge?
During any misdemeanor
During the commission of a dangerous felony
After the defendant has been acquitted
When the defendant acted with malice aforethought
The felony-murder rule holds that any death caused during the commission or attempted commission of a dangerous felony is murder, regardless of intent to kill. Cornell LII on Felony Murder
Which defense applies when law enforcement induces an otherwise innocent person to commit a crime?
Necessity
Duress
Entrapment
Coercion
Entrapment occurs when government agents persuade or coerce a defendant to commit a crime they were not predisposed to commit. Predisposition is central to the inquiry. Cornell LII on Entrapment
Which clause of the Fifth Amendment prohibits a person from being tried twice for the same offense?
Due process clause
Double jeopardy clause
Self-incrimination clause
Equal protection clause
The Double Jeopardy Clause of the Fifth Amendment prevents multiple prosecutions or punishments for the same offense after acquittal or conviction. Cornell LII on Fifth Amendment
To convict for conspiracy, the prosecution must prove an agreement and which additional element?
Overt act in furtherance of the agreement
Completion of the substantive crime
Mens rea for the overt act
Presence at the scene
Most jurisdictions require proof of an overt act taken in furtherance of the conspiracy along with the agreement and intent to achieve the crime’s objective. Cornell LII on Conspiracy
Under RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act), what must the government prove to secure a conviction?
Commission of a single predicate act
A pattern of racketeering activity plus an enterprise
Only corporate fraud
A national security threat
RICO requires proof of at least two related predicate acts of racketeering activity and the existence of an enterprise whose affairs those acts influenced. 18 U.S. Code Chapter 96
Which defense is NOT available for an individual forced to commit a crime by threats of death or serious injury from another person?
Duress to avoid serious harm
Necessity to prevent greater harm
Duress to commit murder
Necessity arising from natural forces
Duress generally cannot be asserted as a defense to murder because the law demands a higher moral standard. Necessity and duress defenses are limited and differ depending on whether threats come from human or natural sources. Cornell LII on Duress
Which doctrine holds an employer criminally liable for crimes committed by an employee within the scope of employment?
Res ipsa loquitur
Respondeat superior
Strict liability
Vicarious negligence
Respondeat superior makes an employer liable for an employee’s criminal acts if committed within the scope of their employment. Corporations and managers can also face direct liability. Cornell LII on Respondeat Superior
Under Pinkerton liability, a conspirator is criminally responsible for substantive offenses committed by co-conspirators if those offenses were:
Committed before the conspiracy
Foreseeable and in furtherance of the conspiracy
Unrelated to the conspiracy’s goals
Only attempted crimes
Under Pinkerton v. United States, each member of a conspiracy is liable for crimes committed by co-conspirators that are foreseeable and pursued in furtherance of the conspiracy, even if they did not personally participate. Pinkerton v. U.S.
Which mental state in the Model Penal Code describes a conscious disregard of a substantial and unjustifiable risk?
Purpose
Knowledge
Recklessness
Negligence
Recklessness under the MPC means the defendant consciously disregarded a substantial risk that their conduct would bring about a prohibited result. It is less culpable than purpose or knowledge but more than negligence. Cornell LII on Recklessness
Which defense allows a defendant’s voluntary intoxication evidence only to negate specific intent crimes?
General intent
Strict liability
Specific intent
Transferred intent
Voluntary intoxication is inadmissible to negate general intent crimes but may be used to show lack of specific intent, as the defendant’s impaired state can preclude formation of the higher mens rea. Cornell LII on Intoxication
In criminal causation, which concept focuses on whether the defendant’s conduct was a substantial factor and whether the result was foreseeable?
Actual cause
Proximate cause
But-for causation
Causation in fact
Proximate cause concerns whether it was legally appropriate to hold the defendant responsible for the result, focusing on foreseeability and whether the result is a direct consequence of the conduct. Cornell LII on Causation
When a defendant’s intended act would not be criminal even if completed, which impossibility defense applies?
Factual impossibility
Legal impossibility
Hybrid impossibility
Inherent impossibility
Legal impossibility arises when the defendant’s goal, even if fully carried out, would not constitute a crime. It differs from factual impossibility, which involves an external circumstance preventing completion. Cornell LII on Impossibility
Under the territoriality principle of jurisdiction, a state may prosecute crimes that are:
Committed by its citizens anywhere
Committed on its territory
Committed against its nationals abroad
Offenses against universal norms
The territoriality principle allows a state to exercise jurisdiction over crimes committed within its geographic boundaries. Other principles include nationality and protective jurisdiction. Cornell LII on Jurisdiction
Which action can effectively withdraw a defendant from liability for future acts of a conspiracy?
Merely expressing personal regret
Providing timely notice or taking affirmative steps to thwart the conspiracy
Failing to participate in a later overt act
Confessing after the conspiracy ends
To withdraw from a conspiracy and avoid liability for subsequent offenses, a conspirator must timely communicate withdrawal to co-conspirators or notify law enforcement, and often must neutralize the conspiracy’s impact. Cornell LII on Withdrawal
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Fundamental Crime Elements -

    Identify and explain the core components of a crime, including actus reus and mens rea, to solidify your criminal law foundation.

  2. Apply Mens Rea and Actus Reus Principles -

    Use criminal law multiple choice questions to practice distinguishing between different mental states and conduct requirements in various legal scenarios.

  3. Analyze Hypothetical Scenarios -

    Interpret fact patterns from the quiz to determine legal outcomes, sharpening your analytical skills for real-world case applications.

  4. Evaluate Common Legal Defenses -

    Assess defenses such as insanity, self-defense, and duress within criminal law test questions and answers to understand their elements and limits.

  5. Differentiate Crime Classifications -

    Distinguish among felonies, misdemeanors, and inchoate offenses to accurately categorize offenses in criminal law test questions.

  6. Enhance Exam Readiness -

    Leverage each online question for criminal law to build confidence, track your progress, and identify areas for further study.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Actus Reus Fundamentals -

    Actus reus refers to the voluntary physical act or unlawful omission required for a crime (Black's Law Dictionary). Remember the "doing or not doing" test: only voluntary conduct can trigger criminal liability in online question for criminal law scenarios. Reviewing sample scenarios (e.g., failing to file taxes) will sharpen your criminal law multiple choice questions skills.

  2. Mens Rea and the MPC "PERN" Mnemonic -

    Mens rea is the defendant's mental state, categorized under the Model Penal Code as Purpose, Knowledge, Recklessness, or Negligence - remember "PERN." Purpose and knowledge demand conscious intent, while recklessness and negligence hinge on risk assessment (ALI, Model Penal Code). Practicing criminal law test questions and answers that distinguish these states improves accuracy in quizzes.

  3. Concurrence and Causation Tests -

    Concurrence requires alignment of actus reus and mens rea, while causation has two prongs: "but-for" factual causation and proximate causation (Prosser & Keeton). Use the "but-for" thought experiment - would the harm occur without the defendant's action? - to master criminal law test questions and answer patterns.

  4. Inchoate Offenses: Attempt, Conspiracy, Solicitation -

    Inchoate crimes punish steps toward a crime; recall the L.A.S.T. mnemonic: Liability for Attempt, Agreement (conspiracy), Solicitation, and Transferable Attempt (National Criminal Justice Reference Service). For example, an attempted burglary requires substantial steps beyond mere preparation. Regularly quiz yourself with criminal law multiple choice questions on these inchoate stages.

  5. Key Defenses: Insanity and Self-Defense -

    The M'Naghten Rule sets the insanity standard: a defendant must lack ability to know right from wrong (American Psychiatric Assoc.). In self-defense, proportionality and necessity are crucial - force used must match the threat. Drilling criminal law test questions and answers on these defenses builds confidence for any criminal law quiz.

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