Pinkerton Liability


Definition of Pinkerton Liability

Pinkerton liability is a law stating that a person involved in a conspiracy can be held liable for substantive crimes committed by co-conspirators in certain situations. This means that if a person commits the first part of a crime, but does not participate in the second part of a crime, then they could still be held liable in some cases.



Pinkerton Liability Explained

There are a number of conditions that must be met in order for a person to be held liable for an substantive act under the Pinkerton rule. For example, the person must be a party to the original conspiracy. The offense must also qualify as a continuation of the original conspiracy.

The Pinkerton doctrine was established as a result of the court case Pinkerton v. United States. This law can potentially increase the punitive consequences for people involved in crimes and conspiracies.





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