Intent is a legal concept that is key to understanding legal obligations, tort and even criminal law. Intent is an expression of a person’s will, desire or purpose for an action or inaction. In legal terms, a person must have had criminal intent for an action to be considered a crime.
When a person takes a course of action, it can be argued that they had either an intention to do so or a result of what happened. In law, a person is held responsible and liable for any action taken and/or any consequence that comes from their actions. The intention of one’s action is therefore key in forming an opinion about the legality of said action.
When determining intent, courts generally consider a number of factors such as the person’s motive or purpose, whether they intended to break any laws, if the action was planned, the person’s state of mind, their awareness of the risks, whether the action was voluntary, and if the person acted upon their own volition.
Indeed, intent is an important concept for any business professional to understand. In many cases, disagreements about what was intended or who is legally responsible for a certain action are the subjects of civil lawsuits. Knowing the legal concept of intent is therefore crucial for any individual or business interested in understanding the intricacies and implications of the law.