Word
REA
Phoneticsrea
/ˈɹeɪ/
Definition
n. a legal rule that says a person cannot be punished for a crime if they were not actually present when it happened. It is a very specific term used in older law books.
n. a common law principle or plea asserting that a defendant cannot be held liable for an act committed in their absence. Derived from the Latin 're absente', it is primarily encountered in historical legal contexts or specific jurisdictional precedents.
Examples
“The lawyer used the REA rule to defend his client.”
“The defense argued for the application of REA, noting the defendant was in another city during the incident.”
“While modern statutes often supersede such doctrines, the principle of REA remains a foundational reference for understanding the evolution of personal liability in criminal proceedings.”
Examples
simple
“The lawyer used the REA rule to defend his client.”
contextual
“The defense argued for the application of REA, noting the defendant was in another city during the incident.”
complex
“While modern statutes often supersede such doctrines, the principle of REA remains a foundational reference for understanding the evolution of personal liability in criminal proceedings.”
Usage
Typically functions as a technical legal term; often appears in capital letters in case law summaries.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/rea