Misprision of felony

The Legal Duty to Act: When Is Omission a Crime?

Meta Description: Understanding the critical difference between a moral failure and criminal liability for ‘omission.’ Learn the five legal duties that turn a failure to act (*nonfeasance*) into the physical element of a crime (*actus reus*). In criminal law, the traditional focus is on a positive action—an affirmative act that causes a prohibited result. We

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Failure to Act: Understanding Criminal Omission

The Legal Duty to Act: When Is Omission a Crime?