Aid And Abet | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute

Home » What Do Aiding And Abetting Mean » Aid And Abet | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute

Maybe your like

Please help us improve our site! × No thank you
  1. LII
  2. Wex
  3. aid and abet
aid and abet

To aid and abet means to assist someone in committing or to encourage someone to commit a crime. Generally, the person who aids and abets is criminally liable to the same extent as the person committing the crime.

Judicial Council of California Criminal Jury Instructions (No. 401) explain: “To prove that the defendant is guilty of a crime based on aiding and abetting that crime, the People must prove that:

  1. The perpetrator committed the crime;
  2. The defendant knew that the perpetrator intended to commit the crime;
  3. Before or during the commission of the crime, the defendant intended to aid and abet the perpetrator in committing the crime; AND
  4. The defendant’s words or conduct did in fact aid and abet the perpetrator’s commission of the crime.

Someone aids and abets a crime if he or she knows of the perpetrator’s unlawful purpose and he or she specifically intends to, and does in fact, aid, facilitate, promote, encourage, or instigate the perpetrator’s commission of that crime.”

[Last reviewed in November of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team]

Wex

  • THE LEGAL PROCESS
  • criminal law
  • criminal procedure
  • criminal law and procedure
  • wex definitions

Wex Toolbox

Tag » What Do Aiding And Abetting Mean