"Corpus delicti" and "doli capax" are legal concepts related to criminal law and are often used to determine whether a crime has occurred and whether a person is capable of criminal intent. Here's an explanation of each concept:
1. Corpus Delicti:
Definition: "Corpus delicti" is a Latin term that means "the body of the crime." It refers to the principle that before a person can be convicted of a crime, it must be established that a crime has actually occurred. In other words, it is the proof or evidence that a crime has been committed, and it typically consists of two elements: the occurrence of the prohibited act (actus reus) and the presence of criminal intent (mens rea).
Example: In a murder case, the corpus delicti would include evidence such as a dead body (actus reus) and evidence indicating that the death was the result of a criminal act with intent to cause harm (mens rea).
2. Doli Capax:
Definition: "Doli capax" is a Latin term that means "capable of wrongdoing" or "capable of forming criminal intent." It is a legal concept used to determine whether a person, typically a child, is of an age where they can be held criminally responsible for their actions. In many legal systems, there is an age below which a child is presumed to be incapable of forming criminal intent.
Example: In IPC, a child under a certain age, such as 7 or 10, is considered doli incapax, meaning they are presumed incapable of forming the requisite criminal intent to commit a crime.
The establishment of corpus delicti is fundamental to any criminal prosecution, as it confirms the existence of a crime. Doli capax, on the other hand, deals with the issue of criminal responsibility and is often used in cases involving minors to determine whether they can be held criminally accountable for their actions based on their age and capacity to understand the consequences of their actions.
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