META: The Entrapment Defense The entrapment defense is a fundamental safeguard in criminal law, designed to prevent government agents from manufacturing crimes and coercing otherwise law-abiding citizens into unlawful acts. This post dissects the two crucial elements of this affirmative defense—government inducement and the defendant’s lack of predisposition—explaining the difference between simply affording an opportunity […]
Meta Summary: Entrapment is a powerful but complex criminal defense. Learn the key difference between government inducement and merely providing an opportunity, and understand the crucial “Predisposition Test” used in federal courts, including pivotal Supreme Court rulings like Jacobson v. United States. What Is Entrapment? A Defense Against Manufactured Crime In the theater of criminal
Article Summary: This post explores the legal defense of entrapment, an affirmative defense in criminal law asserting that a defendant was induced by government agents to commit a crime they were not otherwise predisposed to commit. We detail the two primary legal standards—the subjective and objective tests—and examine the crucial elements of “inducement” and “predisposition”.
Meta Description: Understand the legal defense of entrapment. Learn the difference between a simple opportunity to commit a crime and genuine inducement by law enforcement, and discover the key elements to proving this defense in court. Understanding the Entrapment Defense in Criminal Law Navigating the criminal justice system can be intimidating, especially when you believe