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Four Main Types of Defenses to a Criminal Charge

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When charged with a crime and facing trial, unless pleading guilty a defendant and/or his or her attorney will offer an appropriate defense to the charges to demonstrate why that defendant should not be held liable for the criminal charge. There are four main types of categories of defenses to choose from. Within each of those broad categories are several specific types of defense strategies. This library solution outlines the four main defense categories and provides examples of specific defenses within the four broad categories.

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Solution Summary

There are four broad categories of defenses to choose from when charged with a crime. Within each of these four main categories are several more specific types of defense. The library solution outlines the four main types of defenses to criminal charges, provides a brief explanation of each, and lists several specific examples.

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The four main types of defense to a criminal charge are:
1. Alibi
2. Justification
3. Excuse
4. Procedural Defense

Explanation of each category with examples:
1. Alibi: The alibi defense claims that the defendant could not have committed the crime because he or she was elsewhere, not at the scene of the crime, at the time the crime was committed. An alibi can also include a witness to verify that the defendant was with him or her ...

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