aggravating circumstances

aggravating circumstances
n.
Circumstances that increase the severity of a crime or tort.

The Essential Law Dictionary. — Sphinx Publishing, An imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. . 2008.


aggravating circumstances
Circumstances that increase the seriousness or outrageousness of a given crime, which will increase the wrongdoer's penalty or punishment. For example, the crime of aggravated assault is a physical attack made worse because it is committed with a dangerous weapon, results in severe bodily injury, or is made in conjunction with another serious crime. Aggravated assault is usually considered a felony, punishable by a prison sentence.
Category: Criminal Law
Category: Small Claims Court & Lawsuits

Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary. . 2009.


aggravating circumstances
n. Circumstances, facts, or situations that increase the culpability, liability, or the measure of damages or punishment for a crime or a tort.

Webster's New World Law Dictionary. . 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • aggravating circumstances — See aggravation …   Black's law dictionary

  • aggravating circumstances — See aggravation …   Black's law dictionary

  • Aggravating — Ag gra*va ting, a. 1. Making worse or more heinous; as, aggravating circumstances. [1913 Webster] 2. Exasperating; provoking; irritating. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster] A thing at once ridiculous and aggravating. J. Ingelow. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • aggravating circumstance — n: a circumstance relating to the commission of an act that increases the degree of liability or culpability punitive damages are recoverable in a conversion case when the evidence shows legal malice, willfulness, insult, or other aggravating… …   Law dictionary

  • circumstances — I noun accompanying events, attendant conditions, bases, changes, conditions, controlling factors, course of events, details, events, factors, facts, features, full particulars, governing factors, grounds, happenings, incidentals, instances,… …   Law dictionary

  • circumstances — n. 1) adverse, difficult, trying circumstances 2) reduced, straitened circumstances 3) aggravating; extenuating, mitigating circumstances 4) attendant; compelling; exceptional, special; favorable; suspicious; tragic; unavoidable; unforeseen… …   Combinatory dictionary

  • Aggravating — Aggravate Ag gra*vate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Aggravated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Aggravating}.] [L. aggravatus, p. p. of aggravare. See {Aggrieve}.] 1. To make heavy or heavier; to add to; to increase. [Obs.] To aggravate thy store. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Extenuating circumstances — In law, extenuating circumstances in criminal cases are unusual or extreme facts leading up to or attending the commission of the offense which, though an offense has been committed without legal justification or excuse, mitigate or reduce its… …   Wikipedia

  • Use of capital punishment by country — The following is a summary of the use of capital punishment by country. Contents 1 Capital Punishment In The World 2 Africa 3 The Americas 4 Asia Pacific …   Wikipedia

  • Gregg v. Georgia — SCOTUSCase Litigants=Gregg v. Georgia ArgueDateA=March 30 ArgueDateB=31 ArgueYear=1976 DecideDate=July 2 DecideYear=1976 FullName=Troy Leon Gregg v. State of Georgia; Charles William Proffitt v. State of Florida; Jerry Lane Jurek v. State of… …   Wikipedia

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